Enantioselective Synthesis of 2,6-cis-Disubstituted Tetrahydropyrans via a Tandem Catalytic Asymmetric Hydrogenation/Oxa-Michael Cyclization: An Efficient Approach to (−)-Centrolobine

Studies directed toward the synthesis of hedycoropyrans: total synthesis of des-hydroxy (-)-hedycoropyran B (ent-rhoiptelol B)

A full account of our efforts directed towards the synthesis of the diarylheptanoid-derived natural products hedycoropyrans that led to the total synthesis of ent-rhoiptelol B is described. In this endeavor, we have attempted two distinct synthetic strategies to access hedycoropyrans A and B, which led us to establish a facile synthetic route for des-hydroxy (-)-hedycoropyran B (ent-rhoiptelol B) from simple and readily accessible building blocks of 4-allylanisole and vanillin, employing Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation, CBS reduction, and an intramolecular AgOTf-catalyzed oxa-Michael reaction of suitably functionalized hydroxy-ynone as key transformations. The investigations disclosed herein will provide insights into designing novel synthetic routes for THP-DAH-derived natural products.

Stereoselective Total Synthesis of Siladenoserinols A and D

The stereoselective total synthesis of siladenoserinols A and D has been accomplished using carbohydrate as a chiral template. The feature of this work is to build the medicinally privileged 6,8-DOBCO scaffold through a cascade reaction of hydrogenation/deacetalization/ketalization in a one-pot process, that is, to take advantage of a thermodynamically controlled bicyclization of polyhydroxyketone under HCl/MeOH reaction conditions. The current cost-effective synthetic strategy could facilitate the bioactivity investigation of siladenoserinols.

The oxa-Michael reaction in the synthesis of 5- and 6-membered oxygen-containing heterocycles

In this review, we provide an updated account on the recent advances and applications of oxa-Michael reaction in the synthesis 5- and 6-membered monocyclic oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds published in the literature since 2013 to date.

CuBr2-catalyzed diastereoselective allylation: total synthesis of decytospolides A and B and their C6-epimers

An efficient CuBr₂-catalyzed diastereoselective allylation of a cyclic hemiacetal with allyltrimethylsilane as a nucleophile has been developed. The protocol offers a cost effective, protecting group tolerant, and operationally simple approach to 2,6-trans-disubstituted tetrahydropyran with excellent diastereoselectivity. Furthermore, the application of this methodology has been demonstrated in the total synthesis of decytospolides A and B and their C6-epimers.

Recent Advances in Metal-Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,4-Conjugate Addition (ACA) of Nonorganometallic Nucleophiles

The metal-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition (ACA) reaction has emerged as a general and powerful approach for the construction of optically active compounds and is among the most significant and useful reactions in synthetic organic chemistry. In recent years, great progress has been made in this area with the use of various chiral metal complexes based on different chiral ligands. This review provides comprehensive and critical information on the enantioselective 1,4-conjugate addition of nonorganometallic (soft) nucleophiles and their importance in synthetic applications. The literature is covered from the last 10 years, and a number of examples from before 2007 are included as background information. The review is divided into multiple parts according to the type of nucleophile involved in the reaction (such as C-, B-, O-, N-, S-, P-, and Si-centered nucleophiles) and metal catalyst systems used.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of β-branched enamides for the synthesis of β-stereogenic amines

β-Branched simple enamides were hydrogenated to give β-stereogenic amines in quantitative yields and with excellent enantioselectivities.

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of (-)-Hedycoropyrans A and B

The first and asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-hedycoropyrans A (1) was accomplished in 18 steps with 5.4% overall yield. The key features of our strategy include (1) construction of the unusual trans-2-aryl-6-alkyl tetrahydropyran core via Achmatowicz rearrangement, Zn-mediated reductive deoxygenation, and Heck-Matsuda coupling reaction, and (2) installation of 3,4-anti-dihydroxy from the corresponding 3,4-syn-dihydroxy THP through chemo- and regioselective IBX oxidation and Evans-Saksena reduction. In addition, C2 epimerization of (-)-hedycoropyan A (1) under the acidic condition furnished (-)-hedycoropyan B (2) with 71% yield. This finding might suggest the biogenetic origin of hedycoropyran B.

Computer-Assisted Synthetic Planning: The End of the Beginning

Exactly half a century has passed since the launch of the first documented research project (1965 Dendral) on computer-assisted organic synthesis. Many more programs were created in the 1970s and 1980s but the enthusiasm of these pioneering days had largely dissipated by the 2000s, and the challenge of teaching the computer how to plan organic syntheses earned itself the reputation of a "mission impossible". This is quite curious given that, in the meantime, computers have "learned" many other skills that had been considered exclusive domains of human intellect and creativity-for example, machines can nowadays play chess better than human world champions and they can compose classical music pleasant to the human ear. Although there have been no similar feats in organic synthesis, this Review argues that to concede defeat would be premature. Indeed, bringing together the combination of modern computational power and algorithms from graph/network theory, chemical rules (with full stereo- and regiochemistry) coded in appropriate formats, and the elements of quantum mechanics, the machine can finally be "taught" how to plan syntheses of non-trivial organic molecules in a matter of seconds to minutes. The Review begins with an overview of some basic theoretical concepts essential for the big-data analysis of chemical syntheses. It progresses to the problem of optimizing pathways involving known reactions. It culminates with discussion of algorithms that allow for a completely de novo and fully automated design of syntheses leading to relatively complex targets, including those that have not been made before. Of course, there are still things to be improved, but computers are finally becoming relevant and helpful to the practice of organic-synthetic planning. Paraphrasing Churchill's famous words after the Allies' first major victory over the Axis forces in Africa, it is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning for the computer-assisted synthesis planning. The machine is here to stay.

Ru-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of δ-keto Weinreb amides: enantioselective synthesis of (+)-Centrolobine

An efficient asymmetric hydrogenation of δ-keto Weinreb amides catalyzed by a Ru-Xyl-SunPhos-Daipen bifunctional catalyst has been achieved.

2-Arylcyclopropylmethanol as a substitute for homoallyl aryl alcohol in the construction of cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyran: synthesis of (±)-centrolobine

The application of 2-arylcyclopropylmethanols as substitutes to homoallyl aryl alcohols and their reactions with aliphatic aldehydes in the presence of SnCl4 in CH2Cl2 leads to an efficient Prins cyclization to generate cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans in high yields. The reaction is free from 2-oxonia-Cope rearrangement. This protocol was used to synthesize (±)-centrolobine in an overall 84% yield over three steps. The protocol holds promise for scaffold generation for medicinal chemistry exploitation.

Facile access to cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans by palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation: total syntheses of (±)-centrolobine and (+)-decytospolides A and B

cis-2,6-Tetrahydropyran is an important structural skeleton of bioactive natural products. A facile synthesis of cis-2,6-disubstituted-3,6-dihydropyrans as cis-2,6-tetrahydropyran precursors has been achieved in high regio- and stereoselectivity with high yields. This reaction involves a palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation of various 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran substrates. Extending this reaction to 1,2-unsaturated carbohydrates allowed the achievement of challenging β-C-glycosylation. Based on this methodology, the total syntheses of (±)-centrolobine and (+)-decytospolides A and B were achieved in concise steps and overall high yields.