Cytotoxic non-aromatic B-ring flavanones from Piper carniconnectivum C. DC.

The EtOAc extract from the leaves of Piper carniconnectivum C. DC. was subjected to chromatographic separation to afford two non-aromatic B-ring flavanone compounds: 5-hydroxy-2-(1'-hydroxy-4'-oxo-cyclohex-2'-en-1'-yl)-6,7-dimethoxy-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one (1) and 5-hydroxy-2-(1',2'-dihydroxy-4'-oxo-cyclohexyl)-6,7-dimethoxy-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one (2). The absolute configuration of (+)-1 was unambiguously determined as 2S,1'R by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy and comparison to simulated spectra that were calculated using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). This methodology allowed the assignment of the absolute configuration of (+)-2 also as 2S,1'R, except for the stereogenic center at C-2', which was assigned as R because of the evidence drawn from high resolution NMR experiments. The cytotoxic activity of both compounds and 3 (hydrogenated B-ring derivative of 1) was evaluated on twelve human leukemia cell lines, and the IC50 values (<10 µM) indicated the activity of 1 against seven cell lines.

Stereoelectronic interaction and their effects on conformational preference for 2-substituted methylenecyclohexane: an experimental and theoretical investigation.

Conformational preferences for 2-substituted methylenecyclohexanes were determined using (3) J H 2 H 3 spin-spin coupling constants, while stereoelectronic interactions were obtained by means of theoretical calculations and NBO analysis. The conformational equilibrium of compounds studied can be represented by their axial and equatorial conformers, the axial conformers being the most stable form in polar and nonpolar solvents. These conformational preferences were attributed to the hyperconjugative interactions between the pi C-C-->sigma* C-Xax. and sigma C-H-->sigma* C-Xax. orbitals, and the repulsive steric interaction observed between sigma C-H-->n Xeq..

Experimental and theoretical investigation of NMR 2JHH coupling constant on six-membered ring systems containing oxygen or sulfur atoms.

Theoretical and experimental 2JHH coupling constants for six-membered rings containing oxygen or sulfur atoms were studied to investigate whether the 2JHH coupling constant can be used for stereoelectronic studies in heterocyclohexanes, instead of 1JCH, because it is well known that experimental measurements of 2JHH coupling constants at low temperature are much easier to determine than the corresponding 1JCH couplings. For all compounds studied here, the 2JHH coupling constants are affected by sigma*C-H antibonding occupancy together with bond angle effects. For cyclohexane and oxygen-containing compounds, the influence on the geminal coupling for Hax-C2-Heq and for X1-C2-X3 (X=O and C), bond angles are more pronounced than for the sulfur derivatives.

Total synthesis of (+)-crocacin D.

[structure: see text] The total synthesis of (+)-crocacin D is described. The convergent asymmetric synthesis relies on the use of a Stille cross-coupling between an (E)-vinyl stannane with an (E)-vinyl iodide to establish the (E,E)-dienamide moiety followed by a mild and efficient copper-catalyzed coupling between (+)-crocacin C and a (Z)-vinyl iodide to establish the challenging (Z)-enamide function.