All-in-One Synthesis of 3,6-Dideoxysugars: An Olefin Metathesis-Isomerization Approach.

A collective synthesis of 3,6-dideoxysugars, including seven naturally known congeners, has been reported using commercially available methyl lactates in five steps. The essential tandem process involving the olefin cross-metathesis and isomerization steps was enabled by the dual function of Grubbs-II catalyst, affording the products in good yields and providing concise and practical access to a class of biologically important deoxysugars.

Total Synthesis of Immunosuppressive Mycestericin E and G Enabled by a Highly Stereoselective Nitroso-Ene Cyclization.

This report describes a streamlined synthesis of immunosuppressive mycestericin E and G through a highly stereoselective nitroso-ene cyclization in 11-12 steps using readily available materials. The stereochemical outcome in the formation of a Nα-quaternary stereogenic center is rationalized by a trajectory based on the polar diradical intermediate and subsequent hydrogen transfer. Julia olefination offers a facile chain elongation method that presents a viable strategy for structural derivatization in future medicinal applications.

Nitroso-Ene-type Cyclization Toward Diversified Synthesis of Amino Deoxysugars: A Proof of Concept.

Amino deoxysugars are abundant in nature and play an important role in various biological functions, promoting numerous efforts to synthesize their structurally unique motifs. In this report, a de novo approach from a readily available lactic acid derivative is devised to construct several amino deoxysugars embedded in natural products, featuring a novel nitroso-ene-type cyclization to introduce a nitrogen atom into the carbon framework. This efficient synthesis provides an unprecedented synthetic route to explore the nitroso-ene cyclization to accumulate intriguing amino deoxysugars.

Potent Antibiotic Lemonomycin: A Glimpse of Its Discovery, Origin, and Chemical Synthesis.

Lemonomycin (1) was first isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces candidus in 1964. The complete chemical structure was not elucidated until 2000 with extensive spectroscopic analysis. Lemonomycin is currently known as the only glycosylated tetrahydroisoquinoline antibiotic. Its potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and complex architecture make it an ideal target for total synthesis. In this short review, we summarize the research status of lemonomycin for biological activity, biosynthesis, and chemical synthesis. The unique deoxy aminosugar-lemonose was proposed to play a crucial role in biological activity, as shown in other antibiotics, such as arimetamycin A, nocathiacin I, glycothiohexide α, and thiazamycins. Given the self-resistance of the original bacterial host, the integration of biosynthesis and chemical synthesis to pursue efficient synthesis and further derivatization is in high demand for the development of novel antibiotics to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

A Bridge to Alkaloid Synthesis.

The construction of a structurally rigid architecture with chiral complexity, necessary to enhance the interaction with binding sites of drug targets, has been adapted as an intriguing approach in drug development. In the past few years, we have been interested in the synthesis of biologically significant and bridged alkaloids via novel synthetic methods and strategies based on recognition of the privileged pattern. Therefore, nitroso-ene and aza-Wacker cyclizations were elevated for the first time to construct bridged alkaloids, such as hosieine A, kopsone, melinonine-E and strychnoxanthine. Mechanistic investigations, including computational calculations for nitroso-ene reaction and deuterated experiments for aza-Wacker reaction, enable us to gain more insights into the chemical reactivity and selectivity of specific functional groups in developing viable synthetic methods.

Catalytic Aza-Wacker Annulation: Tuning Mechanism by the Activation Mode of Amide and Enantioselective Syntheses of Melinonine-E and Strychnoxanthine.

An unprecedented N-substituent of the amide was found to be crucial for the successful annulation to establish 2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and other ring skeletons in good yield. The novel catalytic aza-Wacker annulation methodology was further illustrated in the concise syntheses and the absolute configuration determinations of melinonine-E and strychnoxanthine.

Construction of Morphan Derivatives by Nitroso-Ene Cyclization: Mechanistic Insight and Total Synthesis of (±)-Kopsone.

A type II nitroso-ene cyclization was developed for the construction of morphan derivatives with good functional-group tolerance. DFT calculations revealed that the nitroso-ene reaction proceeds in a stepwise manner involving diradical or zwitterionic intermediates. The rate-determining step is C-N bond formation, followed by a rapid hydrogen-transfer step with a chair-conformation transition state. The current approach was also successfully applied in the first total synthesis of (±)-kopsone, a highly strained yet simple morphan-type alkaloid isolated from Kopsia macrophylla.

Stereodivergent Synthesis of Functionalized Tetrahydropyrans Accelerated by Mechanism-Based Allylboration and Bioinspired Oxa-Michael Cyclization.

A stereodivergent strategy enabled by bioinspired oxa-Michael cyclization was developed for the synthesis of functionalized tetrahydropyrans on the basis of the inherent symmetry in 1,3-diols, the symmetries of which were tunable by stereoselective hydroboration of an allene with a variety of alkylborane reagents and subsequent allylation of an aldehyde. The mechanism-based utilization of monoalkyl borane in the hydroboration and allylation cascade is unprecedented.