Recent strategies and tactics for the enantioselective total syntheses of cyclolignan natural products

Covering: 2000 to 2021Lignan natural products are found in many different plant species and possess numerous useful biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. Their utility in both traditional and conventional medicine, coupled with their structural diversity has made them popular synthetic targets over many decades. This review specifically addresses the cyclolignan subclass of the family, which possess both a C8-C8' and a C2-C7' linkage between two different phenylpropene units. We present a comprehensive overview of the diverse strategies employed by chemists to achieve enantioselective total syntheses of cyclolignans covering: 2000 to 2021.

Asymmetric total synthesis of four bioactive lignans using donor–acceptor cyclopropanes and bioassay of (−)- and (+)-niranthin against hepatitis B and influenza viruses

The total synthesis of four lignans including (−)- and (+)-niranthin has been achieved utilizing cyclopropanes. Based on bioassays of the (+)- and (−)-niranthins using HBV and IFV, we speculated the bioactive site of niranthin against HBV and IFV.

DDQ-Catalyzed Oxidative C(sp3)-H Functionalization of Aryltetralins and Subsequent Chemoselective Oxidative Demethylation to Access Dihydronaphthalenes and Dihydronaphthoquinones

A highly controlled DDQ-catalyzed oxidative C(sp³)-H functionalization of three contiguous carbon atoms in aryltetralins is reported for efficient access to diverse oxygenated dihydronaphthalene scaffolds. The first total synthesis of pachypostaudin B is realized. Further, a CAN-mediated chemoselective oxidative demethylation on the dihydronaphthalene scaffolds is demonstrated to arrive at the rarely observed dihydronaphthoquinone core in moderate to good yields. The present methodology enables quick access to a library of magnoshinin and merrilliaquinone analogs.

Diastereoselective ring opening of fully-substituted cyclopropanes via intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation

We herein disclose a diastereoselective ring opening of non-donor-acceptor cyclopropanes via an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation en route to functionalized dihydronaphthalene scaffolds possessing quaternary carbon stereocentres. The transformation proceeds through a selective bond breaking at the most alkylated carbon centre with a pure retention of configuration. Mechanistic investigations and computational studies revealed that alkoxy functionality is the key for selective bond breaking leading to a complete retention of configuration.

Advances in the Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Natural Products Using Chiral Secondary Amine Catalyzed Reactions of α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes

Chirality is one of the most important attributes for its presence in a vast majority of bioactive natural products and pharmaceuticals. Asymmetric organocatalysis methods have emerged as a powerful methodology for the construction of highly enantioenriched structural skeletons of the target molecules. Due to their extensive application of organocatalysis in the total synthesis of bioactive molecules and some of them have been used in the industrial synthesis of drugs have attracted increasing interests from chemists. Among the chiral organocatalysts, chiral secondary amines (MacMillan's catalyst and Jorgensen's catalyst) have been especially considered attractive strategies because of their impressive efficiency. Herein, we outline advances in the asymmetric total synthesis of natural products and relevant drugs by using the strategy of chiral secondary amine catalyzed reactions of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes in the last eighteen years.

Lewis acid-catalyzed enantiospecific [3 + 2] annulations of γ-butyrolactone fused cyclopropanes with aromatic aldehydes: synthesis of chiral furanolignans

An enantiospecific [3 + 2] annulation of γ-butyrolactone fused cyclopropanes with aromatic aldehydes was realized to construct chiral furanolignans.

A formal homo-Nazarov cyclization of enantioenriched donor–acceptor cyclopropanes and following transformations: asymmetric synthesis of multi-substituted dihydronaphthalenes

Multi-substituted trans-dihydronaphthalenes were obtained in high ee from a TiCl₄-mediated cyclization of enantioenriched D–A cyclopropanes, followed by a triflation of OH.

Formal synthesis of (−)-podophyllotoxin through the photocyclization of an axially chiral 3,4-bisbenzylidene succinate amide ester – a flow photochemistry approach

We have developed a strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of cyclolignans related to podophyllotoxin and its derivatives.

The first electrocatalytic stereoselective multicomponent synthesis of cyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives

Multicomponent electrolysis of aldehydes and two different C–H acids in the presence of NaBr–NaOAc in a simple beaker results in stereoselective formation of trialkyl (2R*,3R*)-3-aryl-2-cyanocyclopropane-1,1,2-tricarboxylates in 52–87% yields.