Synthesis of the C1-C20 and C15-C27 segments of aplyronine A.

The synthesis of C1-C20 and C15-C27 segments of Aplyronine A is described. Oxidative cleavage of cyclic vinyl sulfones has been used to prepare key fragments of Aplyronine A. Key precursors are united by Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons and Julia-Kociensky olefination for the respective elaboration of the C1-C20 and C15-C27 segments.

Reagent-directed allylic quadraselection. Chemoselective anti- and syn-Lawton S(N)2' methylation of seven-membered epoxyvinylsulfones.

Methods have been developed for regio- and stereoselective 1,4-syn or 1,4-anti methylation of seven-membered epoxyvinylsulfones. 1,4-Syn addition is achieved via the combination of Me(2)Zn and catalytic Li(2)CuCl(4), a hitherto unexplored reagent combination. The complementary 1,4-anti addition relies on Cu(I) catalyzed methyl Grignard addition or (CH(3))(3)Al assisted CH(3)Cu addition. The methods described were assayed on four diastereomeric stereodiads and on their parent epoxide.

Second-generation synthesis of syn- and anti-cycloheptadienylsulfone polyketide stereodiads.

Stereodiad sulfones 18a and 18b are key intermediates for polyketide synthesis. This note describes the synthesis of 18a and 18b from enantiopure epoxide 2. The two sequences have been optimized for large-scale synthesis to give 80-85% overall yields in one operation (one operation implies that no crystallization or distillation is required throughout the synthesis) while avoiding chromatography.

Conversion of cyclic vinyl sulfones to transposed vinyl phosphonates.

Functionalized cyclic vinyl sulfones were directly converted to the "polarity reversed" vinyl phosphonates through an efficient one pot procedure. Ozonolysis of these vinyl sulfones and vinyl phosphonates furnish complementary sets of termini-differentiated ester-aldehydes. This strategy has been applied for preparation of segments needed for the synthesis of Aplyronine A. The scope and limitations of this transformation were defined.

Asymmetric synthesis of all eight seven-carbon dipropionate stereotetrads.

Enantiopure cycloheptadienyl sulfones 6 and 7 are diastereoselectively epoxidized to yield epoxyvinyl sulfones 8, 9, 14, and 16 in high yields and diastereomeric ratios. Syn and anti methylation of epoxides 8, 9, 14, and 16 enables access to all eight possible diastereomeric stereotetrads, seven of which are commonly found in polypropionate natural products. Anti methylations of the above epoxides are possible by either the reaction of methyl organometallics promoted by copper(I), or via reaction with trimethylaluminum to yield stereotetrads 11, 12, 22, and 24. Syn methylations are achieved via Lawton SN2' reaction in the case of stereotetrads 10, 15, and 38, while stereotetrad 13 is accessed by an oxidation/reduction alcohol inversion sequence from stereotetrad 11. All stereotetrads were obtained in high diastereomeric ratios and yields, and their relative stereochemistry was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Oxidative cleavage of the cyclic stereotetrads yields termini-differentiated acyclic heptanyl stereotetrads ready for use in building larger fragments in the course of target syntheses.

Double lawton SN2'addition to epoxyvinyl sulfones: selective construction of the stereotetrads of aplyronine A.

[reaction: see text] Enantiopure epoxyvinyl sulfones function as templates for the diastereoselective construction of the three stereotetrads of aplyronine A. Lawton S(N)2' addition of 3,5-dimethylpyrazole followed by its displacement in an alcohol-directed Lawton S(N)2' reaction establishes the required product stereochemistry with high selectivity.