S,O-acetals as novel "chiral aldehyde" equivalents.

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylations (AAA) to form "chiral aldehyde" equivalents were investigated. Alpha-acetoxysulfones were formed in high enantiomeric excess as single regioisomers in AAA reactions of allylic geminal dicarboxylates with sodium benzenesulfinate. The directing ability of this novel functional group was highlighted by a series of dihydroxylations, affording syn diols exclusively anti to the acetoxy sulfone as single diastereomers in excellent yields. This is the first example of an asymmetric dihydroxylation protocol that gives the equivalent of reaction with a simple enal. The synthetic value of this process was exemplified by subsequent transformations of the diols including the development of a one-pot dihydroxylation-deprotective acyl migration protocol to give differentially protected 1,2-diols.

Probing the SAR of dEpoB via chemical synthesis: a total synthesis evaluation of C26-(1,3-dioxolanyl)-12,13-desoxyepothilone B.

A practical total synthesis of 26-(1,3-dioxolanyl)-12,13-desoxyepothilone B (26-dioxolanyl dEpoB) was accomplished in a highly convergent manner. A novel sequence was developed to produce the vinyl iodide segment 17 in high enantiomeric excess, which was used in a key B-alkyl Suzuki merger. Subsequently, a Yamaguchi macrocyclization formed the core lactone, while a selective oxidation and a late stage Noyori acetalization incorporated the dioxolane functionality. Sufficient amounts of synthetic 26-dioxolane dEpoB were produced using this sequence for an in vivo analysis in mice containing xenograft CCRF-CEM tumors.