Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of optically pure functionalized spiro[5,5]undecane-1,5,9-triones as HIV-1 inhibitors

Two-step, high-yielding total synthesis of antibiotic pyrones

A simple two-step dialkylation protocol was developed to synthesize biologically active antibiotics photopyrones, pseudopyronines, and violapyrones from bio-renewable triacetate lactone in excellent yields. These pyrones are functionally modified into another set of pyrone natural products by a single O-methylation reaction. The high-yielding gram scale synthesis of four natural products [pseudopyronine A, photopyrone A, pseudopyronine B and photopyrone C] demonstrated the viability for industrial applications.

A review of the synthetic strategies toward spirobarbiturate-fused 3- to 7-membered rings

Spiro-connected hexahydropyrimidine-2,4,6-trione heterocyclic rings have received increasing attention from the viewpoint of biological activity and synthetic methods due to the importance of the rigid heterocyclic system and unique orientation of the functional substituents. Since 1900, numerous studies have exploited the synthesis of various spirobarbiturate-fused carbo- and heterocycles by applying different strategies. Due to the importance of barbiturate-based olefins as activated alkenes, these substrates have been utilized in many reactions. In addition, the nucleophilic addition of 1,3-disubstituted barbituric acid to different electrophiles has been applied to prepare highly functionalized spirobarbiturate scaffolds. This short review highlights various strategies for synthesizing spirobarbiturate-fused 3- to 7-membered carbo- and heterocyclic rings and some catalytic diastereoselective and enantioselective chemical reactions to access chiral compounds. The sections are divided by the incorporation of 3- to 7-membered heterocyclic or carbocyclic rings into a spirobarbiturate scaffold, and are presented in different subsections depending on the mechanistic details.

Organocatalysts based on natural and modified amino acids for asymmetric reactions

Small organic molecules predominantly containing C, H, O, N, S and P element are found promising molecule to accelerate chemical reactions and are named organocatalysis. In addition, these organocatalysts are easy availability, stable in water and air, inexpensive, and low toxicity, which confer a huge direct application in organic synthesis when compared to transition metal catalyzed reactions and becoming powerful tools in the construction of a selective chiral product. Interest on organocatalysis is spectacularly increased since last two decades, due to the novelty of the concept and selectivity. Based on the nature of the organocatalysts used, they are classified in to four major classes, among them one of the types is amino acids derived organocatalysts. Natural amino acids are playing important role in building blocks of protein construction, and also intermediate products of the metabolism. α-Amino acid is a molecule, that contains both amine and carboxyl functional group. Their particular structural characteristic determines their role in protein synthesis, and bifunctional asymmetric catalysts for stereoselective synthesis. Two functional groups present on a single carbon acting as an acid and base, which promote chemical transformations in concert similar to the enzymatic catalysis. The post translational derivatives of natural α-amino acids include 4-hydroxy-L-proline and 4-amino-L-proline scaffolds, and its synthetic variants based organocatalysts, whose catalytic activity is well documented. This chapter discussed past and present development of the organocatalysts derived from natural and modified amino acids for various important organic transformations reviewed.

Bifunctional thiourea-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] annulation reactions of 2-isothiocyanato-1-indanones with barbiturate-based olefins

Bifunctional thiourea-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] annulation reactions of 2-isothiocyanato-1-indanones with barbiturate-based olefins have been developed to afford chiral dispiro[indene-pyrrolidine-pyrimidine]s. Through this strategy, the target products could be obtained in good to excellent yields with excellent stereoselectivities. In addition, the synthetic utility was verified through a gram-scale synthesis, one-pot three-component reactions and further transformation experiments of the products.

Organocatalytic Enantiospecific Total Synthesis of Butenolides

Biologically important, chiral natural products of butenolides, (−)-blastmycinolactol, (+)-blastmycinone, (−)-NFX-2, (+)-antimycinone, lipid metabolites, (+)-ancepsenolide, (+)-homoancepsenolide, mosquito larvicidal butenolide and their analogues were synthesized in very good yields in a sequential one-pot manner by using an organocatalytic reductive coupling and palladium-mediated reductive deoxygenation or organocatalytic reductive coupling and silica-mediated reductive deamination as the key steps.

Synthesis of spirobarbiturate-pyrrolidinones via a domino aza-Michael/SN2 cyclization of barbiturate-derived alkenes with N-alkoxy α-haloamides

A highly efficient domino aza-MIRC (Michael Induced Ring Closure) reaction between barbiturate-derived alkenes and N-alkoxy α-haloamides has been achieved in moderate to excellent yields. This reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions via a domino aza-Michael addition/intramolecular SN2 sequence, providing a practical tool in the synthesis of bioactive molecules spirobarbiturate-3-pyrrolidinones.

High-yielding sequential one-pot synthesis of chiral and achiral α-substituted acrylates via a metal-free reductive coupling reaction

A general process for the high-yielding synthesis of substituted chiral and achiral α-substituted acrylates was achieved through the sequential one-pot combination of a metal-free reductive coupling reaction followed by an Eschenmoser methylenation. The proline catalyzed reaction of Meldrum's acid, aldehydes and Hantzsch ester followed by methylenation was successful with Eschenmoser's salt in the presence of an alcohol solvent. Herein, we have shown the high-yielding synthesis of privileged building blocks from chiral/achiral α-substituted acrylates and shown them to be very good intermediates in the pharmaceuticals and natural products synthesis.

One-pot multicomponent synthesis of highly functionalized piperidines from substituted β-nitrostyrenes, Meldrum's acid, aromatic aldehydes, and ammonium acetate

An efficient and straightforward synthetic protocol has been developed for the diversity-oriented synthesis of highly functionalized piperidines containing a Meldrum's acid moiety via pseudo five-component reaction between aromatic aldehydes, ammonium acetate, substituted β-nitrostyrenes and Meldrum's acid for the generation of a wide range of structurally interesting and pharmacologically significant compounds.

Observation of neighboring ortho-hydroxyl group participation in organocatalytic asymmetric sequential Michael-lactonization reactions: synthesis of highly substituted chiral spirodihydrocoumarins

A general approach to asymmetric synthesis of highly substituted spirodihydrocoumarins with a quaternary stereocenter was achieved through neighboring ortho-hydroxyl group induced sequential Michael-lactonization reactions on 2-(2-nitrovinyl)phenols with alkyl cyclopentanone-2-carboxylates in the presence of a catalytic amount of quinine-NH-thiourea followed by p-TSA.

Discovery of 2-aminobuta-1,3-enynes in asymmetric organocascade catalysis: construction of drug-like spirocyclic cyclohexanes having five to six contiguous stereocenters

We present herein for the first time the asymmetric synthesis of drug-like spiranes through reflexive-Michael reaction by using 2-aminobuta-1,3-enyne catalysis under mild conditions.