Regiospecifically Fluorinated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons via Julia-Kocienski Olefination and Oxidative Photocyclization. Effect of Fluorine Atom Substitution on Molecular Shape.

A modular synthesis of regiospecifically fluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is described. 1,2-Diarylfluoroalkenes, synthesized via Julia-Kocienski olefination (70-99% yields), were converted to isomeric 5- and 6-fluorobenzo[c]phenanthrene, 5-and 6-fluorochrysene, and 9- and 10-benzo[g]chrysene (66-83% yields) by oxidative photocyclization. Photocyclization to 6-fluorochrysene proceeded more slowly than conversion of 1-styrylnaphthalene to chrysene. Higher fluoroalkene dilution led to a more rapid cyclization. Therefore, photocyclizations were performed at higher dilutions. To evaluate the effect of fluorine atom on molecular shapes, X-ray data for 5- and 6-fluorobenzo[c]phenanthrene, 6-fluorochrysene, 9- and 10-fluorobenzo[g]chrysene, and unfluorinated chrysene as well as benzo[g]chrysene were obtained and compared. The fluorine atom caused a small deviation from planarity in the chrysene series and decreased nonplanarity in the benzo[c]phenanthrene derivatives, but its influence was most pronounced in the benzo[g]chrysene series. A remarkable flattening of the molecule was observed in 9-fluorobenzo[g]chrysene, where the short 2.055 Å interatomic distance between bay-region F-9 and H-8, downfield shift of H-8, and a 26.1 Hz coupling between F-9 and C-8 indicate a possible F-9···H-8 hydrogen bond. In addition, in 9-fluorobenzo[g]chrysene, the stacking distance is short at 3.365 Å and there is an additional interaction between the C-11-H and C-10a of a nearby molecule that is almost perpendicular.

Alpha-fluorovinyl Weinreb amides and alpha-fluoroenones from a common fluorinated building block.

Synthesis and reactivity of N-methoxy-N-methyl-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfonyl)fluoroacetamide, a building block for Julia olefination, is reported. This reagent undergoes condensation reactions with aldehydes and cyclic ketones to give alpha-fluorovinyl Weinreb amides. Olefination reactions proceed under mild, DBU-mediated conditions, or in the presence of NaH. DBU-mediated condensations proceed with either E- or Z-selectivity, depending upon reaction conditions, whereas NaH-mediated reactions are > or = 98% Z-stereoselective. Conversion of the Weinreb amide moiety in N-methoxy-N-methyl-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl)fluoroacetamide to ketones, followed by oxidation, resulted in another set of olefination reagents, namely (1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfonyl)fluoromethyl phenyl and propyl ketones. In the presence of DBU, these compounds react with aldehydes tested to give alpha-fluoroenones with high Z-selectivity. The use of N-methoxy-N-methyl-(1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylsulfanyl)fluoroacetamide as a common fluorinated intermediate in the synthesis of alpha-fluorovinyl Weinreb amides and alpha-fluoroenones has been demonstrated. Application of the Weinreb amide to alpha-fluoro allyl amine synthesis is also shown.

Stereodivergent approach to the asymmetric synthesis of bacillariolides: a formal synthesis of ent-bacillariolide II.

[reaction: see text] Asymmetric synthesis of densely functionalized bicyclic frameworks for entry into bacillariolides I/III and ent-bacillariolide II is reported. The key features are ring-closing metathesis of a pair of diastereomerically related dienes obtained through a stereodivergent route from a R-(+)-glyceraldehyde derivative, transformation of a nonstereoselective cyclopentene ester enolate alkylation process to a completely stereoselective one through alkylation of a bulky ester enolate with a bulky electrophile, and a remote silyloxymethyl group directed epoxidation.

Convenient route to both enantiomers of a highly functionalized trans-disubstituted cyclopentene. Synthesis of the carbocyclic core of the nucleoside BCA.

[structures: see text] Synthesis of both enantiomers of a highly functionalized cyclopentenol derivative, versatile building block for a vast array of biologically active compounds, is described. The key steps involve stereocontrolled synthesis of a diene with two syn-disposed substituents from a (R)-(+)-glyceraldehyde derivative, ring-closing metathesis of this diene, and functional group manipulation of the resulting trans-disubstituted cyclopentene. One of the enantiomers of the cyclopentenol thus obtained has been converted to an amino cyclopentene, the carbocyclic core of the nucleoside (-)-BCA, a potent inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase.