Fluorinated Imines in Tandem and Cycloaddition Reactions

The chemistry of fluorinated compounds has experienced extraordinary growth in recent decades due to the many and varied properties which many of the compounds that contain fluorinated groups possess. Among all of them, fluorinated chiral imines, in particular the Ellman's imines, are of great importance since they are some of the most interesting building blocks for the synthesis of a large number of enantioenriched carbocycles and heterocycles with extraordinary biological and synthetic properties. This personal account covers the most significant results obtained in our research group in the last two decades concerning asymmetric tandem reactions, paying special attention to the intramolecular aza-Michael reaction (IMAMR), diversity oriented synthesis (DOS), asymmetric tandem reactions involving a p-tolylsulfinyl group as chiral inducer and cycloaddition processes, in particular, the Pauson-Khand reaction, [2+2+2]-cycloadditions and metathesis reactions, starting mainly from enyne compounds and through the use of fluorinated chiral N-sulfinyl imines and their derivatives as starting materials.

Construction of Acyclic All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenter Based on Asymmetric Michael Addition of Chiral Amine

Acyclic asymmetric quaternary stereocenters, which are composed of four carbon-carbon bonds, were finely constructed by utilizing a face-selective alkylation of enolate intermediates derived from an asymmetric Michael addition reaction of a chiral lithium amide with trisubstituted (E)-α,β-unsaturated esters. The present face-selective alkylation was able to employ diverse alkyl halides as an electrophile to afford various Michael adducts having an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter. With regard to the deprotection of the chiral auxiliary, N-iodosuccinimide used in our previous study did not work in the present cases; however, we found that pyridine iodine monochloride in the presence of H₂O was effective to remove the bornyl group and the benzyl group on the amino group to provide the β-amino ester derivative.

A Synthetic Route to The Core Structure of (-)-Retigeranic Acid A

Retigeranic acid A is a uniquely structured pentacyclic sesterterpene bearing eight stereogenic centers. We report a concise route to the core structure of (-)-retigeranic acid A. The stereochemistry of its six chiral centers and three quaternary carbon centers was well-controlled. This route features two intramolecular Pauson-Khand reactions (IMPKRs): the first forged the D and E rings to deliver the triquinane subunit, and the second constructed the A and B rings and diastereoselectively installed the quaternary C_6a center.

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (-)-Spirochensilide A, Part 1: Diastereoselective Synthesis of the ABCD Ring and Stereoselective Total Synthesis of 13(R)-Demethyl Spirochensilide A

A concise and diastereoselective construction of the ABCD ring system of spirochensilide A is described. The key steps of this synthesis are a semipinacol rearrangement reaction to stereoselectively construct the AB ring system bearing two vicinal quaternary chiral centers and a Co-mediated Pauson-Khand reaction to form the spiro-based bicyclic CD ring system. This chemistry leads to the stereoselective synthesis of 13(R)-demethyl spirochensilide A, paving the way for the first asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-spirochensilide A.

Enantioselective construction of the tricyclic core of curcusones A-D via a cross-electrophile coupling approach

Herein we report our recent progress toward the enantioselective total synthesis of the diterpenoid natural products curcusones A-D by means of complementary Stetter annulation or ring-closing metathesis (RCM) disconnections. Using the latter approach, we have achieved the concise construction of the 5-7-6 carbocyclic core embedded in each member of the curcusone family. Essential to this route is the use of a cross-electrophile coupling strategy, which has not previously been harnessed in the context of natural product synthesis.

Total synthesis of sesterterpenoids

Total syntheses of biologically and structurally fascinating sesterterpenoids published between Jan. 2012 and Jan. 2018 are summarized and discussed here.

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-astellatol and (−)-astellatene

Here we describe the full account of the total synthesis of (+)-astellatol, as well as the first total synthesis of (−)-astellatene.

Recent Advances in the Pauson-Khand Reaction

The Pauson-Khand [2+2+1] cycloaddition of alkynes, alkenes, and carbon monoxide has been a vibrant area of research for more than 40 years. This review highlights recent achievements in the Pauson-Khand reaction, particularly in catalytic and asymmetric variants. Discussion of regioselectivity and advances in substrate scope is also presented.

Assembly of 3-allyl-3-ethynyl-oxindole motifs via palladium(ii)-catalyzed quaternary allylation of 3-ethynyl-3-OBoc-oxindoles

A simple and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 3-allyl-3-ethynyl-oxindoles using Pd(ii) catalyst has been developed. Applications of these intermediates were realized by synthesizing structurally diverse carbocyclic spirooxindoles.