Novel cyclic sugar imines: carbohydrate mimics and easily elaborated scaffolds for aza-sugars

Stereoselective Synthesis of 1-C-Diethylphosphonomethyl and -difluoromethyl Iminosugars from Sugar Lactams

A strategy allowing the straightforward synthesis of 1-C-phosphonomethyl and 1-C-phosphonodifluoromethyl iminosugars is reported. Conversion of sugar lactams to the corresponding imines with Schwartz's reagent followed by their reaction with LiCH₂P(O)(OEt)₂ and LiCF₂P(O)(OEt)₂ stereoselectively afforded the 1,2-cis and 1,2-trans glycosyl phosphonates, respectively, in modest to good yields. Application of this methodology to C-2 orthogonally protected sugar lactams paved the way to 2-acetamido- and 2-deoxy-1-C-phosphonomethyl iminosugars.

Diversification of Unprotected Alicyclic Amines by C-H Bond Functionalization: Decarboxylative Alkylation of Transient Imines

Despite extensive efforts by many practitioners in the field, methods for the direct α-C-H bond functionalization of unprotected alicyclic amines remain rare. A new advance in this area utilizes N-lithiated alicyclic amines. These readily accessible intermediates are converted to transient imines through the action of a simple ketone oxidant, followed by alkylation with a β-ketoacid under mild conditions to provide valuable β-amino ketones with unprecedented ease. Regioselective α'-alkylation is achieved for substrates with existing α-substituents. The method is further applicable to the convenient one-pot synthesis of polycyclic dihydroquinolones through the incorporation of a SN Ar step.

Cyclic imines – preparation and application in synthesis

Cyclic imines, available from various nitrogen-containing reactants, serve as versatile synthetic intermediates for biologically active compounds.

[1,4]-sigmatropic rearrangement of chiral nitrones and their utilization in the synthesis of new iminosugars

A new mechanism of nitrone epimerization via [1,4]-sigmatropic rearrangement was proposed and a set of epimeric iminosugars was synthesized.

Stereoconvergent synthesis of 1-deoxynojirimycin isomers by using the 3 component 4 centred Ugi reaction

A new reductive cyclization/Ugi multicomponent reaction sequence for the synthesis of 1-deoxyallonojirimycin and 1-deoxyaltronojirimycin has been developed.

Studies on C20-diterpenoid alkaloids: synthesis of the hetidine framework and its application to the synthesis of dihydronavirine and the atisine skeleton

The full details of a synthesis of the hetidine framework of the C20-diterpenoid alkaloids and its conversion to the atisine core structure are reported. The application of the hetidine framework to the synthesis of dihydronavirine, which is the formal reduction product of the natural product navirine, is also described. Key to the success of these studies is the use of a Ga(III)-catalyzed cycloisomerization reaction of alkynylindenes to prepare a [6-7-6] framework that was advanced to the hetidine skeleton. Furthermore, a Michael/aldol sequence was developed for the construction of the bicyclo[2.2.2] framework that is characteristic of the hetidines and atisines.

Skeletal rearrangement of seven-membered iminosugars: synthesis of (-)-adenophorine, (-)-1-epi-adenophorine and derivatives and evaluation as glycosidase inhibitors

The mirror image of natural product (+)-adenophorine along with its 1-epi-, 1-homo-analogs and other derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated as glycosidase inhibitors. The synthetic strategy is based on the skeletal rearrangement of tetrahydroxylated C-alkyl azepanes obtained via a Staudinger/azaWittig/alkylation sequence starting from a sugar-derived azidolactol. Several organometallic species have been investigated for the alkylation step including organomagnesium, organolithium, organozinc, organoaluminum and organocerium reagents. While diallylzinc proved to be the most efficient to introduce an allyl substituent, disappointing results were obtained with the other organometallic species leading either to lower yields or no reaction. Enzymatic assays indicate that (-)-adenophorine is a moderate α-l-fucosidase inhibitor.

Aminohydroxyacetone synthons: versatile intermediates for the organocatalytic asymmetric aldol reaction

A practical method for the synthesis of 1,3-aminohydroxyacetone synthons was developed, and their utility in the organocatalytic asymmetric aldol reaction was demonstrated in a short synthesis of aza-sugars.

Stereoselective, nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascades for the direct synthesis of heavily decorated 5-nitropiperidin-2-ones and related heterocycles

A versatile nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascade for the direct stereoselective synthesis of heavily decorated 5-nitropiperidin-2-ones and related heterocycles has been developed. A highly enantioenriched substituted 5-nitropiperidin-2-one was synthesised in a four component one-pot reaction combining an enantioselective organocatalytic Michael addition with the diastereoselective nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascade. Protodenitration and chemoselective reductive manipulation of the heterocycles was used to install contiguous and fully substituted stereocentres in the synthesis of substituted piperidines.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel phosphasugar anticancer agents

Starting materials of phosphasugars, 1-phenyl-2-phospholene 1-oxides, were prepared from dienes and phenylphosphonous dichloride (dichlorophenylphosphine). Several substituted novel phosphasugars (3- or 4-halo-substituted)-1-phenyl-2-phospholene 1-oxides as well as 1-phenyl-2-phospholane 1-oxides were prepared from 2-phospholenes. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antitumor activities against the leukemia cell lines (U937 and K562) by in vitro 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. 2,3,4-Tribromo-3-methyl-1-phenylphospholane 1-oxide showed superior antitumor activity against U937 and K562 cell lines in a comparative evaluation with Glivec. The analysis by flow cytometry implied that 2,3-dibromo-3-methyl-1-phenylphospholane 1-oxide induced apoptosis to leukemia cell lines.

Cyclic imine nitro-Mannich/lactamization cascades: a direct stereoselective synthesis of multicyclic piperidinone derivatives

An efficient nitro-Mannich/lactamization cascade of gamma-nitro esters with cyclic imines for the preparation of architecturally complex multicyclic piperidinone ring-containing structures has been developed. The reaction is broad in scope and stereoselective and may be coupled to an enantioselective nitroolefin Michael addition reaction as part of a highly enantio- and diastereoselective multicomponent process.

Cyclization via carbolithiation of alpha-amino alkyllithium reagents

We report a new route to tertiary alpha-amino stereocenters by sequential alkylation of alpha-amino nitriles followed by reductive lithiation of the nitrile and cyclization onto an alkene. Reductive lithiation of alpha-amino nitriles using lithium 4,4'-di-tert-butylbiphenylide (LiDBB) and subsequent intramolecular carbolithiation proceeded with modest to high diastereoselectivity to deliver cyclic or spirocyclic ring systems. The stereoselectivity of these intramolecular carbolithiations was examined using density function calculations to evaluate plausible transition state models.

Asymmetric synthesis of ring functionalized trans-2,6-disubstituted piperidines from N-sulfinyl delta-amino beta-keto phosphonates. total synthesis of (-)-myrtine

Sulfinimine-derived N-sulfinyl delta-amino beta-ketophosphonates are transformed via the enaminones to the phosphoryl dihydropyridones that selectively give trans-2,6-disubstituted 1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridines on organocuprate addition and dephosphorylation.