Highly Functionalized Tricyclic Oxazinanones via Pairwise Oxidative Dearomatization and N-Hydroxycarbamate Dehydrogenation: Molecular Diversity Inspired by Tetrodotoxin.

Benzenoids in principle represent attractive and abundant starting materials for the preparation of substituted cyclohexanes; however, the synthetic tools available for overcoming the considerable aromatic energies inherent to these building blocks limit the available product types. In this paper, we demonstrate access to heretofore unknown heterotricyclic structures by leveraging oxidative dearomatization of 2-hydroxymethyl phenols with concurrent N-hydroxycarbamate dehydrogenation using a common oxidant. The pairwise-generated, mutually reactive species then participate in a second stage acylnitroso Diels-Alder cycloaddition. The reaction chemistry of the derived [2.2.2]-oxazabicycles, bearing four orthogonal functional groups and three stereogenic centers, is shown to yield considerable diversity in downstream products. The methodology allows for the expeditious synthesis of a functionalized intermediate bearing structural and stereochemical features in common with the complex alkaloid tetrodotoxin.

A Scalable Protocol for the Regioselective Alkylation of 2-Methylcyclohexane-1,3-dione with Unactivated sp3 Electrophiles.

A method for the C-selective alkylation of 2-methylcyclohexane-1,3-dione with unactivated sp3 electrophiles is accomplished via alkylation and subsequent deprotection of the derived ketodimethyl hydrazones. The present method provides a high-yielding entry to dialkyl cycloalkanones that cannot be accessed via direct alkylation of 2-methylcyclohexane-1,3-dione. The title reaction may be useful in the scalable preparation of terpene and steroidal building blocks in the arena of natural product synthesis.

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of the Indole Diterpene Alkaloid Paspaline.

An enantioselective synthesis of the indole diterpenoid natural product paspaline is disclosed. Critical to this approach was the implementation of stereoselective desymmetrization reactions to assemble key stereocenters of the molecule. The design and execution of these tactics are described in detail, and a thorough analysis of observed outcomes is presented, ultimately providing the title compound in high stereopurity. This synthesis provides a novel template for preparing key stereocenters in this family of molecules, and the reactions developed en route to paspaline present a series of new synthetic disconnections in preparing steroidal natural products.

A global and local desymmetrization approach to the synthesis of steroidal alkaloids: stereocontrolled total synthesis of paspaline.

A stereocontrolled total synthesis of the indole diterpenoid natural product paspaline is described. Key steps include a highly diastereoselective enzymatic desymmetrization, substrate-directed epoxidation, Ireland-Claisen rearrangement, and diastereotopic group selective C-H acetoxylation to assemble the target with excellent stereofidelity. The route and results described herein outline complementary conceptual disconnections in the arena of steroid natural product synthesis.

Preparation and biological evaluation of synthetic and polymer-encapsulated congeners of the antitumor agent pactamycin: insight into functional group effects and biological activity.

The synthesis and biological analysis of a number of novel congeners of the aminocyclopentitol pactamycin is described. Specific attention was paid to the preparation of derivatives at crucial synthetic branch points of the parent structure, and biological assays revealed a number of insights into the source of pactamycin's biological activity. Additionally, the encapsulation of pactamycin and select derivatives into the PRINT© nanoparticle technology was investigated as a proof-of-concept, and evidence of bioactivity modulation through nanoparticle delivery is demonstrated. This work has provided heretofore unrealized access to a large number of novel compounds for further evaluation.

Asymmetric synthesis of the aminocyclitol pactamycin, a universal translocation inhibitor.

An asymmetric total synthesis of the aminocyclopentitol pactamycin is described. The title compound is delivered in 15 steps from 2,4-pentanedione. Critical to this approach was the exploitation of a complex symmetry-breaking reduction strategy to assemble the C1, C2, and C7 relative stereochemistry within the first four steps of the synthesis. Multiple iterations of this reduction strategy are described, and a thorough analysis of stereochemical outcomes is detailed. In the final case, an asymmetric Mannich reaction was developed to install a protected amine directly at the C2 position. Symmetry-breaking reduction of this material gave way to a remarkable series of stereochemical outcomes leading to the title compound without recourse to nonstrategic downstream manipulations. This synthesis is immediately accommodating to the preparation of structural analogs.

Enantioselective synthesis of pactamycin, a complex antitumor antibiotic.

Medicinal application of many complex natural products is precluded by the impracticality of their chemical synthesis. Pactamycin, the most structurally intricate aminocyclopentitol antibiotic, displays potent antiproliferative properties across multiple phylogenetic domains, but it is highly cytotoxic. A limited number of analogs produced by genetic engineering technologies show reduced cytotoxicity against mammalian cells, renewing promise for therapeutic applications. For decades, an efficient synthesis of pactamycin amenable to analog derivatizations has eluded researchers. Here, we present a short asymmetric total synthesis of pactamycin. An enantioselective Mannich reaction and symmetry-breaking reduction sequence was designed to enable assembly of the entire carbon core skeleton in under five steps and control critical three-dimensional (stereochemical) functional group relationships. This modular route totals 15 steps and is immediately amenable for structural analog synthesis.

A formal synthesis of (-)-cyanolide A featuring a stereoselective Mukaiyama aldol reaction and oxocarbenium reduction.

The formal synthesis of the marine natural product (-)-cyanolide A is presented. The synthetic strategy is centered on two acyclic diastereoselective reactions and a single cyclic reaction with modest to excellent dr based on an initial stereocenter. Most notable is a highly stereoselective oxocarbenium reduction based on a "mismatched" reactive conformer to afford the ß-C-glycoside subunit leading to an efficient synthesis of the diolide aglycon in 12 overall steps.