A Novel Deoxygenation of Hydroxy Groups Activated by a Vicinal Carbonyl Group via Reaction with Ph3P/I2/Imidazole

Na2S-Mediated One-Pot Selective Deoxygenation of α-Hydroxyl Carbonyl Compounds including Natural Products

A practical method for the deoxygenation of α-hydroxyl carbonyl compounds under mild reaction conditions is reported here. The use of cheap and easy-to-handle Na₂S·9H₂O as the reductant in the presence of PPh₃ and N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) enables the selective dehydroxylation of α-hydroxyl carbonyl compounds, including ketones, esters, amides, imides and nitrile groups. The synthetic utility is demonstrated by the late-stage deoxygenation of bioactive molecule and complex natural products.

Mild Condition for the Deoxygenation of α-Heteroaryl-Substituted Methanol Derivatives

A mild condition via PPh₃/I₂/imidazole for the deoxygenation of substituted methanol derivatives has been identified. This metal-free process was found to proceed well on secondary or tertiary alcohols substituted with one or two heteroaryl groups, and it tolerates acid-sensitive heterocycles. This condition works for methanol derivatives substituted with 2-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl, or other heterocyclic groups, allowing the negative charge formed during the reaction to resonate to a nitrogen atom. Methanol derivatives substituted with 3-pyridyl or heterocyclic groups that do not allow the negative charge formed during the reaction to resonate to a nitrogen atom will not undergo deoxygenation under this condition.

Enantioselective syntheses of monotetrahydrofuran Annonaceous acetogenins tonkinecin and annonacin starting from carbohydrates

The total synthesis of two mono-THF acetogenins, tonkinecin (1) and annonacin (2), is reported in full detail. Terminal acetylene 3 prepared from D-glucono-delta-lactone and asymmetric dihydroxylation was employed as a common intermediate for both targets 1 and 2. Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction of 3 with vinyl iodides 4 and 5, the chiral centers of which were taken from D-xylose and S-(-)-ethyl lactate, afforded enyne 26 and 27, respectively. Selective hydrogenation of 26 or 27 with diimide followed by removal of MOM ethers completed the synthesis of 1. A coupling reaction between the lithium derivative of 3 and epoxide 6 in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate gave 42. Both chiral centers in epoxide 6 were taken from L-ascorbic acid. Subsequent catalytic hydrogenation and MOM protection led to 43b. Introduction of the butenolide moiety by aldol condensation of protected S-lactal followed by cleavage of all MOM ethers completed the synthesis of 2.

The first total synthesis of annonacin, the most typical monotetrahydrofuran annonaceous acetogenins

The first total synthesis of annonacin (1) was achieved by a highly convergent synthetic strategy. All the stereogenic centers were derived from three natural hydroxy acids respectively, except that those at C19 and C20 were produced from a Sharpless AD reaction.

Total synthesis of the fumiquinazoline alkaloids: solution-phase studies

Biomimetic total syntheses of glyantrypine, fumiquinazoline F, fumiquinazoline G, and fiscalin B were achieved in four steps from tryptophan methyl ester. In the key step, the anthranilamide residue in a linear tripeptide is dehydrated to a benzoxazine by reaction with triphenylphosphine, iodine, and a tertiary amine. The benzoxazines subsequently undergo rearrangement to the natural products via an amidine intermediate. This dehydrative oxazine to quinazoline route is applicable to a broad range of N-acylanthranilamides, including sterically hindered cases.