An Approach to Pancratistatins via Ring-Closing Metathesis: Efficient Synthesis of Novel 1-Aryl-1-deoxyconduritols F

Synthesis of Phenolic Glycosides: Glycosylation of Sugar Lactols with Aryl Bromides via Dual Photoredox/Ni Catalysis

Multifarious sugar lactols were efficiently transformed into the corresponding phenolic glycosides by treating with aryl bromides in acetonitrile with Ir[dF(CF₃)ppy]₂(dtbbpy)(PF₆) as a photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Both pyranoses and furanoses or even disaccharide could all suffer this glycosylation protocol under mild reaction conditions. A variety of phenyl glycosides can be produced in moderate to good yields (up to 93% yield), and a gram scale process of this protocol was also well-established.

Intramolecular Tandem Seleno-Michael/Aldol Reaction: A Simple Route to Hydroxy Cyclo-1-ene-1-carboxylate Esters

Intramolecular tandem seleno-Michael/aldol reaction followed by an oxidation-elimination process can be an efficient tool for the construction of hydroxy cyclo-1-ene-1-carboxylate esters from oxo-α,β-unsaturated esters. Generation of lithium selenolate from elemental selenium and n-BuLi provides a simple and efficient one-pot access to cyclic endo-Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Isoquinoline Alkaloids: 2004-2015

In the past decade, the asymmetric synthesis of chiral nonracemic isoquinoline alkaloids, a family of natural products showing a wide range of structural diversity and biological and pharmaceutical activity, has been based either on continuation or improvement of known traditional methods or on new, recently developed, strategies. Both diastereoselective and enantioselective catalytic methods have been applied. This review describes the stereochemically modified traditional syntheses (the Pictet-Spengler, the Bischler-Napieralski, and the Pomeranz-Fritsch-Bobbitt) along with strategies based on closing of the nitrogen-containing ring B of the isoquinoline core by the formation of bonds between C₁-N₂, N₂-C₃, C₁-N₂/N₂-C₃, and C₁-N₂/C₄-C_4a atoms. Methods involving introduction of substituents at the C1 carbon of isoquinoline core along with syntheses applying various biocatalytic techniques have also been reviewed.

Concise synthesis of calystegines B2 and B3via intramolecular Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi reaction

The key step in the concise syntheses of calystegine B2 and its C-2 epimer calystegine B3 was the construction of cycloheptanone 8via an intramolecular Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi (NHK) reaction of 9, an aldehyde containing a Z-vinyl iodide. Vinyl iodide 9 was obtained by the Stork olefination of aldehyde 10, derived from carbohydrate starting materials. Calystegines B2 (3) and B3 (4) were synthesized from d-xylose and l-arabinose derivatives respectively in 11 steps in excellent overall yields (27% and 19%).

Chemistry of xylopyranosides

Xylose is one of the few monosaccharidic building blocks that are used by mammalian cells. In comparison with other monosaccharides, xylose is rather unusual and, so far, only found in two different mammalian structures, i.e. in the Notch receptor and as the linker between protein and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains in proteoglycans. Interestingly, simple soluble xylopyranosides can not only initiate the biosynthesis of soluble GAG chains but also function as inhibitors of important enzymes in the biosynthesis of proteoglycans. Furthermore, xylose is a major constituent of hemicellulosic xylans and thus one of the most abundant carbohydrates on Earth. Altogether, this has spurred a strong interest in xylose chemistry. The scope of this review is to describe synthesis of xylopyranosyl donors, as well as protective group chemistry, modifications, and conformational analysis of xylose.

Synthesis and biological properties of multivalent iminosugars

Clustering 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), first isolated from white mulberry, and other iminosugars around various scaffolds gave strong glycosidase inhibitors.

Glucocerebrosidase enhancers for selected Gaucher disease genotypes by modification of α-1-C-substituted imino-D-xylitols (DIXs) by click chemistry

A series of hybrid analogues was designed by combination of the iminoxylitol scaffold of parent 1C9-DIX with triazolylalkyl side chains. The resulting compounds were considered potential pharmacological chaperones in Gaucher disease. The DIX analogues reported here were synthesized by CuAAC click chemistry from scaffold 1 (α-1-C-propargyl-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-xylitol) and screened as imiglucerase inhibitors. A set of selected compounds were tested as β-glucocerebrosidase (GBA1) enhancers in fibroblasts from Gaucher patients bearing different genotypes. A number of these DIX compounds were revealed as potent GBA1 enhancers in genotypes containing the G202R mutation, particularly compound DIX-28 (α-1-C-[(1-(3-trimethylsilyl)propyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]-1,5-dideoxy-1,5-imino-D-xylitol), bearing the 3-trimethylsilylpropyl group as a new surrogate of a long alkyl chain, with approximately threefold activity enhancement at 10 nM. Despite their structural similarities with isofagomine and with our previously reported aminocyclitols, the present DIX compounds behaved as non-competitive inhibitors, with the exception of the mixed-type inhibitor DIX-28.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of D- and L-beta-rhamnopyranosides with 4-O-6-S-alpha-cyanobenzylidene-protected 6-thiorhamnopyranosyl thioglycosides

The synthesis of both enantiomers of a 4-O-6-S-alpha-cyanobenzylidene-protected 6-thiorhamnopyranosyl thioglycoside is described starting from D-mannnose and L-arabinose derivatives for the D- and L-series, respectively. This donor is effective in the preparation of the corresponding beta-glycosides using the 1-benzenesulfinyl piperidine/trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride protocol. Following desulfurization and concomitant debenzylation with Raney nickel, the so-formed 6-thio-beta-mannosides are converted in high yield to the beta-rhamnopyranosides.

Application of palladium-catalyzed allylic arylation to the synthesis of a (+/-)-7-deoxypancratistatin analogue

Palladium-catalyzed coupling of an aryl siloxane and an allylic carbonate proceeded in good yield to give an adduct that was converted to an analogue of (+/-)-7-deoxypancratistatin.

Selectivity guidelines and a reductive elimination-based model for predicting the stereochemical course of conjugate addition reactions of organocuprates to gamma-alkoxy-alpha,beta-enoates

Current models used to predict the stereochemical outcome of organocopper conjugate addition processes focus on the nucleophilic addition step as stereochemistry-determining. Recent kinetic, NMR, kinetic isotope effect, and theoretical density functional studies strongly support the proposal that stereochemical preferences in these processes are dictated by the reductive elimination step, transforming Cu(III) to Cu(I) intermediates. A new model that considers various steric and stereoelectronic factors involved in the transition state of the reductive elimination step is proposed and then used to interpret the results of systematic studies of arylcuprate conjugate addition reactions with cis and trans gamma-alkoxy-alpha,beta-enoates. The results give rise to the following selectivity guidelines for this process. To achieve high anti-addition diastereoselectivities the use of trans esters with a bulky nonalkoxy substituent at the gamma-position is recommended. While stereoelectronics disfavor syn-addition, a judicious choice of properly sized gamma-substituents may lead to the predominant formation of syn-products, especially with cis enoates. However, high syn-selectivities may be achieved by using gamma-amino-alpha,beta-enoates.

A solution to the stereochemical problems posed by amaryllidaceae constituents using a highly syn-selective arylcuprate conjugate addition to γ-amino and γ-carbamato-α,β-enoates

Various substituted arylcuprates undergo stereocontrolled additions to L-serine-derived γamino- and γ-carbamato-α,β-enoates with high syn-selectivities. The stereochemical outcome of these reactions is fully consistent with the reductive elimination-based model proposed previously. This method is well suited for the preparation of a broad range of biologically active amaryllidaceae constituents and their aromatic analogues.

Regioselective and Diastereoselective Amination of Polybenzyl Ethers Using Chlorosulfonyl Isocyanate: Total Syntheses of 1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol and (−)-Lentiginosine

The total syntheses of DAB1 (1) and (-)-lentiginosine (2) were concisely accomplished from D-lyxose via regioselective and diastereoselective NHCbz introduction using CSI, chemoselective removal of the Cbz protection, and ring-closing metathesis as key steps.

Chemical and biological aspects of Narcissus alkaloids

This chapter discusses the chemical and biological aspects of Narcissus alkaloids. Numerous alkaloids have been isolated from Narcissus speciesasaresult of the continuing search for novel alkaloids with pharmacological activity in the Amaryllidaceae family. The alkaloids isolated from this genus, classified in relation to the different skeleton types. The different Narcissus wild species and intersectional hybrids, grouped into subgenera and sections, with their corresponding alkaloids, arranged according to their ring system are listed. The biosynthetic pathways of Narcissus alkaloids includes: (1) enzymatic preparation of the precursors, (2) primary cyclization mechanisms, (3) enzymatic preparation of intermediates, (4) secondary cyclization, diversification, and restructuring. The chapter discusses proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS) for Narcissus alkaloids. A list of the different Narcissus alkaloids, their spectroscopic properties, and literature with the most recent spectroscopic data is given. Several Narcissus extracts shows the following activities: antiviral, prophage induction, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, insecticidal, cytotoxic, antitumor, antimitotic, antiplatelet, hypotensive, emetic, acetylcholine esterase inhibitory, antifertility, antinociceptive, chronotropic, pheromone, plant growth inhibitor, and allelopathic.

Annulation of β-aryl-α-nitro-α,β-enals and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxan-5-one: a one-step assembly of nitrocyclitols. Application to a short practical synthesis of (±)-7-deoxy-2-epi-pancratistatin tetraacetate

A novel, highly stereocontrolled formal [3 + 3] annulation of beta-aryl-alpha-nitro-alpha,beta-enals with the enamine derived from 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxan-5-one and pyrrolidine afforded protected nitrocyclitols with five newly created stereocentres and constituted the key step in a short, gram-scale synthesis of a pancratistatin analogue.

Enantiodivergent Formal Synthesis of (+)- and (−)-Cyclophellitol from d-Xylose Based on the Latent Symmetry Concept

Formal synthesis of (+)- and (-)-cyclophellitol from d-xylose has been accomplished through utilization of the latent plane of chirality present in the starting carbohydrate. The synthetic pathway is suitable for preparation and biological evaluation of cyclophellitol analogues in both enantiomeric series.

A Short Route to Enantiomerically Pure Benzophenanthridinone Skeleton: Synthesis of Lactone Analogues of Narciclasine and Lycoricidine

Condensation of functionalized o-toluamide anions on a carbohydrate-derived lactone, followed by intramolecular aldol cyclization, provides enantiomerically pure 2-arylcyclohexenones. Different approaches for the stereoselective transformation of the carbonyl group of these key intermediates into an amino group were unsuccessful. However 1,4-addition of thiolate and concomitant ring closure to isocoumarine provided a useful method for the transformation of the tertiary amide function. Opening of the isocoumarin with ammonia provided the corresponding amide and recovery of the enone system. Subsequent reductive amination of this cyclohexenone was found to depend on the nature of the protecting groups and led to the protected form of 4-epi- and -iso-narciclasine. Oxo analogues of narciclasine and epi-narciclasine and lycoricidine were also obtained after reduction of the enone and subsequent lactonization. They showed no biological activity as antitumor agents.