A Fenton Approach to Aromatic Radical Cations and Diarylmethane Synthesis.

Manipulating carbon-centered radicals to add to electron-deficient systems is a well-precedented process. By coupling the Fe(II)-mediated Fenton reaction with the Fe(III)-mediated single-electron oxidation of anisolic compounds, we demonstrate how electron-rich carbon-centered radicals can react with electron-rich arenes through a radical-polar cascade pathway. This bioinspired approach produces diarylmethane derivatives from simple unfunctionalized precursors.

Synergistic Brønsted/Lewis acid catalyzed aromatic alkylation with unactivated tertiary alcohols or di-tert-butylperoxide to synthesize quaternary carbon centers.

Dual Brønsted/Lewis acid catalysis involving environmentally benign, readily accessible protic acid and iron promotes site-selective tert-butylation of electron-rich arenes using di-tert-butylperoxide. This transformation inspired the development of a synergistic Brønsted/Lewis acid catalyzed aromatic alkylation that fills a gap in the Friedel-Crafts reaction literature by employing unactivated tertiary alcohols as alkylating agents, leading to new quaternary carbon centers. Corroborated by DFT calculations, the Lewis acid serves a role in enhancing the acidity of the Brønsted acid. The use of non-allylic, non-benzylic, and non-propargylic tertiary alcohols represents an underexplored area in Friedel-Crafts reactivity.

The biology and total syntheses of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids.

This mini-review provides a concise overview of the biosynthetic pathway and pharmacology of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid (bisBIA) natural products. Additional emphasis is given to the methodologies in the total syntheses of both simpler acyclic diaryl ether dimers and their macrocyclic counterparts bearing two diaryl ether linkages.

A Copper-Mediated Conjugate Addition Approach to Analogues of Aconitine-Type Diterpenoid Alkaloids.

A copper-mediated conjugate addition of electron-rich aryl groups into a complex vinyl nitrile using arylmagnesium bromides is reported. The conjugate addition adducts were advanced toward the synthesis of designed aconitine-type analogues. The variation in oxygenation patterns on the arene coupling partner, introduced through the current conjugate addition approach, may ultimately provide insight into structure-activity relationships of the diterpenoid alkaloids.

A Benzyne Insertion Approach to Hetisine-Type Diterpenoid Alkaloids: Synthesis of Cossonidine (Davisine).

The hetisine-type natural products exhibit one of the most complex carbon skeletons within the diterpenoid alkaloid family. The use of network analysis has enabled a synthesis strategy to access alkaloids in this class with hydroxylation on the A-ring. Key transformations include a benzyne acyl-alkylation to construct a key fused 6-7-6 tricycle, a chemoselective nitrile reduction, and sequential C-N bond formations using a reductive cyclization and a photochemical hydroamination to construct an embedded azabicycle. Our strategy should enable access to myriad natural and unnatural products within the hetisine-type.

Bioinspired chemical synthesis of monomeric and dimeric stephacidin A congeners.

Stephacidin A and its congeners are a collection of secondary metabolites that possess intriguing structural motifs. They stem from unusual biosynthetic sequences that lead to the incorporation of a prenyl or reverse-prenyl group into a bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane framework, a chromene unit or the vestige thereof. To complement biosynthetic studies, which normally play a significant role in unveiling the biosynthetic pathways of natural products, here we demonstrate that chemical synthesis can provide important insights into biosynthesis. We identify a short total synthesis of congeners in the reverse-prenylated indole alkaloid family related to stephacidin A by taking advantage of a direct indole C6 halogenation of the related ketopremalbrancheamide. This novel strategic approach has now made possible the syntheses of several natural products, including malbrancheamides B and C, notoamides F, I and R, aspergamide B, and waikialoid A, which is a heterodimer of avrainvillamide and aspergamide B. Our approach to the preparation of these prenylated and reverse-prenylated indole alkaloids is bioinspired, and may also inform the as-yet undetermined biosynthesis of several congeners.

A Unifying Synthesis Approach to the C18-, C19-, and C20-Diterpenoid Alkaloids.

The secondary metabolites that comprise the diterpenoid alkaloids are categorized into C18, C19, and C20 families depending on the number of contiguous carbon atoms that constitute their central framework. Herein, we detail our efforts to prepare these molecules by chemical synthesis, including a photochemical approach, and ultimately a bioinspired strategy that has resulted in the development of a unifying synthesis of one C18 (weisaconitine D), one C19 (liljestrandinine), and three C20 (cochlearenine, paniculamine, and N-ethyl-1α-hydroxy-17-veratroyldictyzine) natural products from a common intermediate.

Syntheses of Denudatine Diterpenoid Alkaloids: Cochlearenine, N-Ethyl-1α-hydroxy-17-veratroyldictyzine, and Paniculamine.

The denudatine-type diterpenoid alkaloids cochlearenine, N-ethyl-1α-hydroxy-17-veratroyldictyzine, and paniculamine have been synthesized for the first time (25, 26, and 26 steps from 16, respectively). These syntheses take advantage of a common intermediate (8) that we have previously employed in preparing aconitine-type natural products. The syntheses reported herein complete the realization of a unified strategy for the preparation of C20, C19, and C18 diterpenoid alkaloids.

Rh-Catalyzed Desymmetrization of α-Quaternary Centers by Isomerization-Hydroacylation.

We describe a Rh-catalyzed desymmetrization of all-carbon quaternary centers from α,α-bis(allyl)aldehydes by a cascade featuring isomerization and hydroacylation. This desymmetrization competes with two other novel olefin functionalizations that are triggered by C-H bond activation, including carboacylation and bisacylation. A BIPHEP ligand promotes enantioselective formation of α-vinylcyclopentanones. Mechanistic studies support irreversible and enantioselective olefin-isomerization followed by olefin-hydroacylation.

Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Intermolecular Hydroacylation of α-Keto Amides and Isatins with Non-Chelating Aldehydes.

The application of the bidentate, electron-rich bisphosphine ligand, 1,3-bis(dicyclohexyl)phosphine-propane (dcpp), in rhodium(I)-catalyzed intermolecular ketone hydroacylation is herein described. Isatins and α-keto amides are shown to undergo hydroacylation with a variety of non-chelating linear and branched aliphatic aldehydes. Also reported is the synthesis of new bidentate chiral phosphine ligands, and their application in hydroacylation is discussed.

Rh(I)-catalyzed intermolecular hydroacylation: enantioselective cross-coupling of aldehydes and ketoamides.

Under Rh(I) catalysis, α-ketoamides undergo intermolecular hydroacylation with aliphatic aldehydes. A newly designed Josiphos ligand enables access to α-acyloxyamides with high atom-economy and enantioselectivity. On the basis of mechanistic and kinetic studies, we propose a pathway in which rhodium plays a dual role in activating the aldehyde for cross-coupling. A stereochemical model is provided to rationalize the sense of enantioinduction observed.

Recognition and site-selective transformation of monosaccharides by using copper(II) catalysis.

We demonstrate copper(II)-catalyzed acylation and tosylation of monosaccharides. Various carbohydrate derivatives, including glucopyranosides and ribofuranosides, are obtained in high yields and regioselectivities. Using this versatile strategy, the site of acylation can be switched by choice of ligand. Preliminary mechanistic studies support nucleophilic addition of a copper-sugar complex to the acyl chloride to be turnover limiting.

Dynamic kinetic resolution of allylic sulfoxides by Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation: a combined theoretical and experimental mechanistic study.

A dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of allylic sulfoxides has been demonstrated by combining the Mislow [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement with catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation. The efficiency of our DKR was optimized by using low pressures of hydrogen gas to decrease the rate of hydrogenation relative to the rate of sigmatropic rearrangement. Kinetic studies reveal that the rhodium complex acts as a dual-role catalyst and accelerates the substrate racemization while catalyzing olefin hydrogenation. Scrambling experiments and theoretical modeling support a novel mode of sulfoxide racemization which occurs via a rhodium π-allyl intermediate in polar solvents. In nonpolar solvents, however, the substrate racemization is primarily uncatalyzed. Computational studies suggest that the sulfoxide binds to rhodium via O-coordination throughout the catalytic cycle for hydrogenation.

Regio- and enantioselective intermolecular hydroacylation: substrate-directed addition of salicylaldehydes to homoallylic sulfides.

We report a Rh-catalyzed, regio- and enantioselective intermolecular olefin hydroacylation under mild conditions. Hydroacylations between homoallylic sulfides, containing a substrate-bound directing group, and salicylaldehyde derivatives occur in the presence of a spiro-phosphoramidite ligand, (R)-SIPHOS-PE, to give α-branched ketones in >20:1 selectivity and up to 97% ee. Our conditions are also applicable to the asymmetric intermolecular hydroacylation of 1,2-disubstituted olefins.

Enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclopropenes by hydroacylation.

We report an enantioselective desymmetrization of cyclopropenes by intermolecular Rh-catalyzed hydroacylation. Cyclopropylketones, bearing quaternary stereocenters, are produced with diastereocontrol (up to >20:1) and excellent enantiomeric excess (up to >99 ee).