[Rh(CO)2Cl]2-Catalyzed Domino Reactions Involving Allylic Substitution and Subsequent Carbocyclization Reactions

Cycloaddition of cyclopropanes for the elaboration of medium-sized carbocycles

The stereocontrolled formation of medium-sized carbocycles is a major goal in modern organic chemistry due to their widespread occurrence in natural products and pharmaceutically active ingredients. One approach consists in the use of cycloaddition reactions which notably results in high selectivities and atom-economy. To this end, cyclopropanes are ideal substrates since they can provide readily functionalized three- or five-carbon synthons. Herein we report advances made in cycloaddition reactions of cyclopropanes towards the synthesis of medium-sized carbocycles via transition metal catalysis or Lewis acid catalysis.

Natural Products and Their Mimics as Targets of Opportunity for Discovery

Diverse structural types of natural products and their mimics have served as targets of opportunity in our laboratory to inspire the discovery and development of new methods and strategies to assemble polyfunctional and polycyclic molecular architectures. Furthermore, our efforts toward identifying novel compounds having useful biological properties led to the creation of new targets, many of which posed synthetic challenges that required the invention of new methodology. In this Perspective, selected examples of how we have exploited a diverse range of natural products and their mimics to create, explore, and solve a variety of problems in chemistry and biology will be discussed. The journey was not without its twists and turns, but the unexpected often led to new revelations and insights. Indeed, in our recent excursion into applications of synthetic organic chemistry to neuroscience, avoiding the more-traveled paths was richly rewarding.

Rh-catalyzed (5+2) cycloadditions of 3-acyloxy-1,4-enynes and alkynes: computational study of mechanism, reactivity, and regioselectivity

The mechanism of Rh-catalyzed (5+2) cycloadditions of 3-acyloxy-1,4-enyne (ACE) and alkynes is investigated using density functional theory calculations. The catalytic cycle involves 1,2-acyloxy migration, alkyne insertion, and reductive elimination to form the cycloheptatriene product. In contrast to the (5+2) cycloadditions with vinylcyclopropanes (VCPs), in which alkyne inserts into a rhodium-allyl bond, alkyne insertion into a Rh-C(sp(2)) bond is preferred. The 1,2-acyloxy migration is found to be the rate-determining step of the catalytic cycle. The electron-rich p-dimethylaminobenzoate substrate promotes 1,2-acyloxy migration and significantly increases the reactivity. In the regioselectivity-determining alkyne insertion step, the alkyne substituent prefers to be distal to the forming C-C bond and thus distal to the OAc group in the product.

The Pauson-Khand Reaction as a New Entry to the Synthesis of Bridged Bicyclic Heterocycles: Application to the Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (-)-Alstonerine

The first application of the Pauson-Khand reaction (PKR) to the synthesis of azabridged bicyclic structures is described. Compounds containing azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane rings fused to cyclopentenones were efficiently constructed via the PKR of cis-2,6-disubstituted N-acyl piperidine enyne substrates, many of which can be readily prepared from 4-methoxypyridine in a few steps. Moreover, the PKR of cis-2,6-disubstituted piperazine enynes allowed the preparation of diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonanes fused to cyclopentenones. This new strategy for the synthesis of azabridged bicyclic frameworks was exploited as a key step in a concise, enantioselective total synthesis of the macroline alklaoid (-)-alstonerine.

Concise, enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-alstonerine

A novel enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-alstonerine has been completed that requires only 15 steps from L-tryptophan. The synthesis features the first application of a Pauson-Khand reaction to synthesize an azabridged bicyclic skeleton. [reaction: see text]

Enantioselective syntheses of tremulenediol A and tremulenolide A

[reaction: see text] An enantioselective entry to the skeleton of the tremulane sesquiterpenes is described. The approach features a series of efficient transition metal-catalyzed reactions commencing with an enantioselective rhodium(II)-catalyzed intramolecular cyclopropanation followed by a regioselective allylic alkylation and a diastereoselective rhodium(I)-catalyzed [5 + 2] cycloaddition. This strategy was applied to the first enantioselective syntheses of tremulenediol A and tremulenolide A.