Pyrimidine Nucleosides Syntheses by Late-Stage Base Heterocyclization Reactions.

An efficient two-step procedure for the syntheses of pyrimidine nucleosides is presented. A series of glycosyl 5-(aminomethylene)-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione derivatives were prepared from ß-anomeric isonitriles by reaction with Meldrum's acid or by allowing aminomethylene Meldrum's acid to react with an 1-aldofuranosyl halide or acetate. The resultant 5-(aminomethylene)-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione derivatives underwent reaction with benzyl- or 2,4-dimethoxybenzyl isocyanate via transacylation to provide uridine-5-carboxylic acid derivatives and related nucleosides. These nucleoside carboxylic acids were converted into other C-5 derivatives by bromo-decarboxylation with N-bromosuccinimide.

Cathodic Radical Cyclisation of Aryl Halides Using a Strongly-Reducing Catalytic Mediator in Flow.

Electro-reductive radical cyclisation of aryl halides affords the corresponding hetero- and carbo-cycles in an undivided flow reactor equipped with steel and carbon electrodes using an organic mediator. A dissolving metal anode is not needed, and the mediator can be employed in a sub-stoichiometric amount (0.05 equiv), increasing the practical utility of cathodic radical cyclisation. The methodology is applied to O-, N-, and C-tethers, yielding tricyclic fused and spiro systems. In the absence of mediator, the major pathway is hydrogenolysis of the C-X bond, a 2 e- process occurring at the cathode. Predominance of the radical pathway in presence of a strongly reducing mediator (M) is consistent with homogeneous electron-transfer in a reaction layer detached from the cathode surface, where the flux of M.- leaving the electrode is such that little aryl halide reaches the cathode.

A Stereocontrolled Total Synthesis of Lipoxin B4 and its Biological Activity as a Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediator of Neuroinflammation.

Two stereocontrolled, efficient, and modular syntheses of eicosanoid lipoxin B4 (LXB4 ) are reported. One features a stereoselective reduction followed by an asymmetric epoxidation sequence to set the vicinal diol stereocentres. The dienyne was installed via a one-pot Wittig olefination and base-mediated epoxide ring opening cascade. The other approach installed the diol through an asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction followed by a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination to afford the common dienyne intermediate. Finally, a Sonogashira coupling and an alkyne hydrosilylation/proto-desilylation protocol furnished LXB4 in 25 % overall yield in just 10 steps. For the first time, LXB4 has been fully characterized spectroscopically with its structure confirmed as previously reported. We have demonstrated that the synthesized LXB4 showed similar biological activity to commercial sources in a cellular neuroprotection model. This synthetic route can be employed to synthesize large quantities of LXB4 , enable synthesis of new analogs, and chemical probes for receptor and pathway characterization.

An entry to 2-(cyclobut-1-en-1-yl)-1H-indoles through a cyclobutenylation/deprotection cascade.

A transition-metal-free strategy for the synthesis of 2-(cyclobut-1-en-1-yl)-1H-indoles under mild conditions is described herein. A series of substituted 2-(cyclobut-1-en-1-yl)-1H-indoles are accessed by a one-pot cyclobutenylation/deprotection cascade from N-Boc protected indoles. Preliminary experimental and density functional theory calculations suggest that a Boc-group transfer is involved in the underlying mechanism.

Biomimetic Syntheses of Analogs of Hongoquercin A and B by Late-Stage Derivatization.

The hongoquercins are tetracyclic meroterpenoid natural products with the trans-transoid decalin-dihydrobenzopyran ring system, which display a range of different bioactivities. In this study, the syntheses of a range of hongoquercins using gold-catalyzed enyne cyclization reactions and further derivatization are described. The parent enyne resorcylate precursors were synthesized biomimetically from the corresponding dioxinone keto ester via regioselective acylation, Tsuji-Trost allylic decarboxylative rearrangement, and aromatization. The dioxinone keto ester 12 was prepared in 6 steps from geraniol using allylic functionalization and alkyne synthesis.

Recent advances in the synthesis of α-amino ketones.

Due to the importance of the amino ketone motif in synthetic and medicinal chemistry, the number of protocols developed in recent years has considerably increased. This review serves to collate and critically evaluate novel methodologies published since 2011 towards this high value synthon. The chapters are divided by the requisite functionality in the starting material, and an emphasis is placed on discussing functional group compatibility and resultant product substitution patterns. Throughout, applications to medicinal targets are highlighted and mechanistic details are presented, and we further provide a short outlook for future development and emerging potential within this area.

Oxidative Deconstruction of Azetidinols to α-Amino Ketones.

A silver-mediated synthesis of α-amino ketones via the oxidative deconstruction of azetidinols has been developed using a readily scalable protocol with isolated yields up to 80%. The azetidinols are easily synthesized in one step and can act as protecting groups for these pharmaceutically relevant synthons. Furthermore, mechanistic insights are presented and these data have revealed that the transformation is likely to proceed through the ß-scission of an alkoxy radical, followed by oxidation and C-N cleavage of the resulting α-amido radical.

Transition-Metal-Free Access to Heteroaromatic-Fused 4-Tetralones by the Oxidative Ring Expansion of the Cyclobutanol Moiety.

Advances in the transition-metal-free cyclobutanol ring expansion to 4-tetralones under N-bromosuccinimide mediation are described. We have expanded the scope of this ring expansion methodology and investigated the effect substituents on the aromatic ring, and the cyclobutanol moiety, have on the outcome of the reaction. Limitations with certain substituents on the cyclobutanol moiety are also described. Further experimental evidence to support our mechanistic understanding is disclosed, and we now preclude the suggested involvement of a primary radical for this transformation.

Meroterpenoid Synthesis via Sequential Polyketide Aromatization and Radical Anion Cascade Triene Cyclization: Biomimetic Total Syntheses of Austalide Natural Products.

The first total synthesis of five austalide natural products, (±)-17 S-dihydroaustalide K, (±)-austalide K, (±)-13-deacetoxyaustalide I, (±)-austalide P, and (±)-13-deoxyaustalide Q acid, was accomplished via a series of biomimetic transformations. Key steps involved polyketide aromatization of a trans, trans-farnesol-derived ß,δ-diketodioxinone into the corresponding ß-resorcylate, followed by titanium(III)-mediated reductive radical cyclization of an epoxide to furnish the drimene core. Subsequent phenylselenonium ion induced diastereoselective cyclization of the drimene completed the essential carbon framework of the austalides to access (±)-17 S-dihydroaustalide K, (±)-austalide K, and (±)-13-deacetoxyaustalide I via sequential oxidations. Furthermore, (±)-13-deacetoxyaustalide I could serve as a common intermediate to be derivatized into other related natural products, (±)-austalide P and (±)-13-deoxyaustalide Q acid, by functionalizing the cyclic lactone moiety.

Regioselective Transition-Metal-Free Oxidative Cyclobutanol Ring Expansion to 4-Tetralones.

A facile and transition-metal-free ring expansion of the cyclobutanol moiety to 4-tetralones fused to heteroaromatic systems is described. The oxidative ring expansion proceeds rapidly and regioselectively through mediation by N-bromosuccinimide and acetonitrile in satisfactory to good yields. The preparation of precursors and the ring expansion have proven to be scalable and are straightforward to carry out.

Meroterpenoid Synthesis via Sequential Polyketide Aromatization and Cationic Polyene Cyclization: Total Syntheses of (+)-Hongoquercin A and B and Related Meroterpenoids.

(+)-Hongoquercin A and B were synthesized from commercially available trans, trans-farnesol in six and eleven steps, respectively, using dual biomimetic strategies with polyketide aromatization and subsequent polyene functionalization from a common farnesyl-resorcylate intermediate. Key steps involve Pd(0)-catalyzed decarboxylative allylic rearrangement of a dioxinone ß,δ-diketo ester to a ß,δ-diketo dioxinone, which was readily aromatized into the corresponding resorcylate, and subsequent polyene cyclization via enantioselective protonation or regioselective terminal alkene oxidation and cationic cyclization of enantiomerically enriched epoxide to furnish the tetracyclic natural product cores. Analogues of the hongoquercin were synthesized via halonium-induced polyene cyclizations, and the meroterpenoid could be further functionalized via saponification, hydrolytic decarboxylation, reduction, and amidation reactions.

Bidirectional Synthesis of Di- tert-butyl (2 S,6 S,8 S)- and (2 R,6 R,8 R)-1,7-Diazaspiro[5.5]undecane-2,8-dicarboxylate and Related Spirodiamines.

Efficient syntheses of both enantiomers of a spirodiamine diester from (l)- and (d)-aspartic acid are described. The key transformation was the conversion of Boc-protected tert-butyl aspartate into the derived aldehyde, two-directional Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination, hydrogenation, and selective acid-catalyzed Boc-deprotection and spirocyclization. An alternative, two-directional approach to derivatives of 1,7-diazaspiro[5.5]undecane is described.

Synthetic Study toward Total Synthesis of (±)-Germine: Synthesis of (±)-4-Methylenegermine.

The total synthesis of 4-methylenegermine is described.

An Approach to the Core of Lactonamycin.

A cascade reaction has been developed for the synthesis of lactonamycin. In this paper, we demonstrate that a transition-metal-free thermal ene-diyne cyclization can be used for the construction of the entire core of the antibiotic lactonamycin and anticancer agent lactonamycin Z.

Synthesis and Reactions of Benzannulated Spiroaminals: Tetrahydrospirobiquinolines.

An efficient two-step synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical tetrahydrospirobiquinolines from o-azidobenzaldehydes is reported. A novel series of tetrahydrospirobiquinolines was prepared by sequential double-aldol condensation with acetone, cyclopentanone, and cyclohexanone to form the corresponding o,o'-diazido-dibenzylidene-acetone, -cyclopentanone, and -cyclohexanone derivatives, respectively, and hydrogenation-spirocyclization. The spirodiamines were further derivatized by electrophilic aromatic bromination, Suzuki coupling, and N-alkylation, all of which proceeded with preservation of the spirocyclic core.

Sequential Ketene Generation from Dioxane-4,6-dione-keto-dioxinones for the Synthesis of Terpenoid Resorcylates.

Trapping of the ketene generated from the thermolysis of 2-methyl-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione-keto-dioxinone at 50 °C with primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohols gave the corresponding dioxinone ß-keto-esters in good yield under neutral conditions. These intermediates were converted by palladium(0)-catalyzed decarboxylative allyl migration and aromatization into the corresponding ß-resorcylates. These transformations were applied to the syntheses of the natural products (±)-cannabiorcichromenic and (±)-daurichromenic acid.

A New Approach for the Synthesis of Highly Substituted Aromatic Rings: The Alkyne-Mediated Approach.

Pentasubstituted aromatic rings serve as templates for drug design and can be conveniently prepared by the thermolysis of suitably substituted alkynes under microwave conditions.

A remarkable multicomponent cascade sequence for the formation of a spirocyclic polyether.

A reaction of 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutan-3-one with sodium hydride in the presence or absence of ethyl formate after acid workup gave the spirocyclic ether 3.

A total synthesis of galbonolide B.

An ester enolate rearrangement/silicon mediated fragmentation cascade was used to convert 7 and 8 into the alcohol 9. The alcohol 9 was converted into the allylic alcohol 12 and then to the ester 14. A further ester enolate rearrangement furnished the stereochemical identity of galbonolide B 1. Base mediated macrocyclization of the acetate ester 16 followed by base mediated alkylation and acetal deprotection gave galbonolide B 1.

An efficient synthesis of nitroalkenes by alkene cross metathesis: facile access to small ring systems.

A synthesis of highly functionalized nitroalkenes is reported that utilizes a cross metathesis (CM) reaction between simple aliphatic nitro compounds and a range of substituted alkenes. This chemistry offers a simple and attractive route to nitroalkenes that would otherwise be difficult to prepare, and that have a very useful application as precursors to a variety of heterocyclic entities.