Asymmetric Cycloaddition Reactions of Aryne Intermediates with a Chiral Carbon-Carbon Axis: Syntheses of Axially Chiral Biaryl Compounds.

An asymmetric synthesis via an axially chiral arylaryne intermediate was developed. A cycloaddition reaction with various arynophiles was used to obtain chiral biaryl compounds while preserving the enantiomeric excess (ee) of a precursor even though the reaction proceeds through an arylaryne intermediate, whose ee decreases on a time-dependent basis. High chiral transfer from a precursor to a product was observed not only at low temperature (-78 °C) but also at room temperature.

Enantioselective preparation of mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes by kinetic resolution strategy.

Asymmetric synthesis of mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes and topologically chiral catenanes has been a long-standing challenge in organic synthesis. Recently, an excellent strategy was developed based on diastereomeric synthesis of rotaxanes and catenanes with mechanical chirality followed by removal of the chiral auxiliary. On the other hand, its enantioselective approach has been quite limited. Here, we report enantioselective preparation of mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes by kinetic resolution of the racemates via remote asymmetric acylation of a hydroxy group in the axis component, which provides an unreacted enantiomer in up to >99.9% ee in 29% yield (the theoretical maximum yield of kinetic resolution of racemate is 50%). While the rotaxane molecules are expected to have conformational complexity, our original catalysts enabled to discriminate the mechanical chirality of the rotaxanes efficiently with the selectivity factors in up to 16.

Bridged-Selective Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reactions in the Synthesis of Bicyclo[2.2.2]octanes.

Regioselectivity for intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reactions of 6-acetoxy-6-alkenylcyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-ones that were formed by oxidation of 2-alkenylphenols with lead tetraacetate in acetic acid were studied. Bridged regioselectivity was observed in the IMDA reactions of 6-acetoxy-6-alkenylcyclohexa-2,4-dien-1-ones having a dienophile part which could conjugate with an aromatic group. Bridged seven- and eight-membered rings and bicyclo[2.2.2]octane skeletons were constructed by the present IMDA reactions. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that conjugation of the dienophile with neighboring aromatic groups lowered the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) energy gap and preceded bridged [4 + 2] adducts.

Development of Nitrolactonization Mediated by Iron(III) Nitrate Nonahydrate.

The nitrolactonization of alkenyl carboxylic acids mediated by Fe(NO3)3·9H2O has been developed. Nitrolactones were obtained in up to 93% yield by treatment of alkenyl carboxylic acids with Fe(NO3)3·9H2O. Mechanistic studies disclosed that the reaction proceeded through a radical intermediate generated from addition of NO2 to alkenyl carboxylic acids.

Homostachydrine is a Xenobiotic Substrate of OCTN1/SLC22A4 and Potentially Sensitizes Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizures in Mice.

Understanding of the underlying mechanism of epilepsy is desired since some patients fail to control their seizures. The carnitine/organic cation transporter OCTN1/SLC22A4 is expressed in brain neurons and transports food-derived antioxidant ergothioneine (ERGO), L-carnitine, and spermine, all of which may be associated with epilepsy. This study aimed to clarify the possible association of this transporter with epileptic seizures. In both pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced acute seizure and kindling models, ocnt1 gene knockout mice (octn1-/-) showed lower seizure scores compared with wild-type mice. Up-regulation of the epilepsy-related genes, c-fos and Arc, and the neurotrophic factor BDNF following PTZ administration was observed in the hippocampus of wild-type, but not octn1-/- mice. To find the OCTN1 substrate associated with the seizure, untargeted metabolomics analysis using liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was conducted on extracts from the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and plasma of both strains, leading to the identification of a plant alkaloid homostachydrine as a compound present in a lower concentration in octn1-/- mice. OCTN1-mediated uptake of deuterium-labeled homostachydrine was confirmed in OCTN1-transfected HEK293 cells, suggesting that this compound is a substrate of OCTN1. Homostachydrine administration increased PTZ-induced acute seizure scores and the expression of Arc in the hippocampus and that of Arc, Egr1, and BDNF in the frontal cortex. Conversely, administration of the OCTN1 substrate/inhibitor ERGO inhibited PTZ-induced kindling and reduced the plasma homostachydrine concentration. Thus, these results suggest that OCTN1 is at least partially associated with PTZ-induced seizures, which is potentially deteriorated by treatment with homostachydrine, a newly identified food-derived OCTN1 substrate.

Solvent-Dependent Mechanism and Stereochemistry of Mitsunobu Glycosylation with Unprotected Pyranoses.

An SN2 mechanism was proposed for highly stereoselective glycosylation of benzoic acid with unprotected α-d-glucose under Mitsunobu conditions in dioxane, while an SN1 mechanism was indicated for nonstereoselective glycosylation in DMF. The SN2-type stereoselective Mitsunobu glycosylation is generally applicable to various unprotected pyranoses as glycosyl donors in combination with a wide range of acidic glycosyl acceptors such as carboxylic acids, phenols, and imides, retaining its high stereoselectivity (33 examples). Glycosylation of a carboxylic acid with unprotected α-d-mannose proceeded also in an SN2 manner to directly afford a usually less accessible 1,2-cis-mannoside. One- or two-step total syntheses of five simple natural glycosides were performed using the glycosylation strategy presented here using unprotected α-d-glucose.

Intramolecular Büchner Reaction and Oxidative Aromatization with SeO2 or O2.

Intramolecular Büchner reaction of 1-diazo-5-phenylpentan-2-ones followed by oxidation with SeO2 or O2 in the presence of silica gel regioselectively gave 8-formyl-1-tetralones or one-carbon-lacking 1-tetralones, respectively.

Synthesis of multisubstituted phenols by formal [4 + 2] cycloaddition of nucleophilic alkynes with 3-ethoxycyclobutanones.

Nucleophilic alkynes bearing sulfonamide, trimethylsilyl, or p-methoxyphenyl groups at the sp carbon reacted with 3-ethoxycyclobutanones to give formal [4 + 2] cycloadducts by activation with TiCl4. Reactions with 2-monoalkyl and 2-nonsubstituted 3-ethoxycyclobutanones gave phenol derivatives directly by benzannulation, while the use of 2,2-dimethyl-3-ethoxycyclobutanone gave the corresponding dienones, which were converted to pentasubstituted phenols by dienone-phenol rearrangement. Regioselectivity that depended on the activation conditions of dienone-phenol rearrangement is also described.

α-Arylation of α-Amino Acid Derivatives with Arynes via Memory of Chirality: Asymmetric Synthesis of Benzocyclobutenones with Tetrasubstituted Carbon.

A method for asymmetric α-arylation of α-amino acid derivatives via memory of chirality has been developed. Addition of axially chiral enolates, generated from α-amino acid derivatives, to in situ generated arynes, followed by intramolecular C-acylation of the resulting aryl metallic species, gave benzocyclobutenones with a tetrasubstituted carbon with retention of configuration in up to 99% ee.

Synthesis of α-Halo-γ-hydroxyenamides by Titanium Tetrahalide Mediated Addition of Aldehydes or Ketones to Ynamides.

α-Chloro- or α-bromo-γ-hydroxyenamides were synthesized by the reaction of an ynamide, titanium tetrahalide, and an aldehyde or a ketone. A γ-hydroxy trisubstituted enamide was prepared stereoselectively by Suzuki coupling of an obtained α-chloro-γ-hydroxyenamide with phenyl boronic acid. Intramolecular cyclization of α-chloro-γ-hydroxyenamide took place to provide a 2,3-dihydrobenzoisothiazole 1,1-dioxide derivative by palladium-catalyzed C-H activation of the tosyl group. Hydrochlorination of ynamides proceeded to give α-chloroenamides by treatment with titanium tetrachloride followed by addition of water.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Multisubstituted Dihydrobenzofurans by Intramolecular Conjugate Addition of Short-Lived C-O Axially Chiral Enolates.

Enantioselective intramolecular conjugate addition reactions of short-lived C-O axially chiral enolates have been developed. The reactions proceeded with inversion of the configuration and provided dihydrobenzofurans with contiguous tetra- and trisubstituted carbon centers in up to 96% enantiomeric excess (ee).

Asymmetric α-arylation of amino acid derivatives by Clayden rearrangement of ester enolates via memory of chirality.

A method for asymmetric α-arylation of amino acid derivatives has been developed. The arylation was performed by Clayden rearrangement of ester enolates via memory of chirality to give hydantoins with an aryl-substituted tetrasubstituted carbon with up to 99% ee.

Asymmetric induction via short-lived chiral enolates with a chiral C-O axis.

A novel method has been developed for the asymmetric cyclization of alkyl aryl ethers. The reactions were assumed to proceed via short-lived chiral enolate intermediates with a chiral C-O axis to give cyclic ethers with tetrasubstituted carbon in up to 99% ee. The half-life of racemization of the chiral enolate intermediate was roughly estimated to be ~1 s at -78 °C.

Asymmetric intermolecular conjugate addition of amino acid derivatives via memory of chirality: total synthesis of manzacidin A.

Asymmetric intermolecular conjugate addition of α-amino acid derivatives with 4 via memory of chirality has been developed. The reactions proceeded in up to 98% ee with retention of configuration at the newly formed tetrasubstituted carbon center when R = Me. The product (R = Me) was transformed into manzacidin A.

[Asymmetric synthesis of multi-substituted ß-lactams via C-N axially chiral enolates in intramolecular conjugate addition].

The synthesis of ß-lactams with contiguous tetra- and trisubstituted carbon centers has been accomplished via the 4-exo-trig intramolecular conjugate addition of C-N axially chiral enolates generated from α-amino acid derivatives. Use of a metal carbonate in a protic solvent (i.e., Cs(2)CO(3) in EtOH) was found to be critical for the success of the reaction. Under optimized reaction conditions, axially chiral enolates were generated in very low concentration, thereby favoring intramolecular conjugate addition while minimizing intermolecular side reactions. The highly strained ß-lactam enolates formed through this reversible intramolecular conjugate addition were rapidly protonated by EtOH in the reaction media to afford ß-lactams in up to 97% ee.

Protonation-assisted conjugate addition of axially chiral enolates: asymmetric synthesis of multisubstituted ß-lactams from α-amino acids.

ß-Lactams with contiguous tetra- and trisubstituted carbon centers were prepared in a highly enantioselective manner through 4-exo-trig cyclization of axially chiral enolates generated from readily available α-amino acids. Use of a weak base (metal carbonate) in a protic solvent (EtOH) is the key to the smooth production of ß-lactams. Use of the weak base is expected to generate the axially chiral enolates in a very low concentration, which undergo intramolecular conjugate addition without suffering intermolecular side reactions. Highly strained ß-lactam enolates thus formed through reversible intramolecular conjugate addition (4-exo-trig cyclization) of axially chiral enolates undergo prompt protonation by EtOH in the reaction media (not during the work-up procedure) to give ß-lactams in up to 97% ee.

Dipicolylamine as a unique structural switching element for helical peptides.

Developing novel methods for metal-induced switching of peptide structures expands the design principles of functional biomolecules and biomaterials. Here, a simple method for on-resin synthesis of dipicolylamine (Dpa)-containing peptides was developed. Whereas addition of divalent metal ions such as Fe(ii) and Cu(ii) to a peptide bearing a pair of Dpa moieties at the i and i + 4 positions led to the formation of a 1:1 complex of Dpa with metals, addition of Ni(ii) yielded a cross-linked structure of Dpa-metal (2:1). This feature was utilized for the selective detection of Ni(ii) using the peptide-Fe(ii) complex. Repeated switching of the helical structure was also achieved by multiple additions of divalent metal ions to the peptide.

Asymmetric aldol reaction via memory of chirality.

Asymmetric aldol reactions of α-amino acid derivatives via memory of chirality were developed. Chiral oxazolidones with contiguous tetra- and trisubstituted chiral centers were obtained in 78-94% ee by the asymmetric aldol reaction followed by intramolecular acylation.

Enantiocontrolled total syntheses of breviones A, B, and C.

Enantiocontrolled total syntheses of the breviones A, B, and C have been accomplished using a highly diastereoselective oxidative coupling of an α-pyrone with a tricyclic diene prepared from an optically pure Wieland-Miescher ketone derivative through the 7-endo-trig mode of acyl radical cyclization.

Insights into the origins of configurational stability of axially chiral biaryl amines with an intramolecular N-H-N hydrogen bond.

Configurationally stable chiral biaryl amines with an intramolecular N-H-N hydrogen bond have been developed. The barriers for racemization are in the range of 19.3-28.2 kcal/mol, which corresponds to the half-lives of racemization of the enantiomers in the range of 7 s to 2 years at 20 degrees C. Enantiomers of some of these compounds were separable by HPLC with chiral stationary phases. The biaryl amines are supposed to have a conformation similar to that of a binaphthyl skeleton, which was indicated by an X-ray crystal analysis of a biaryl amine. The N-H appears at 11.1-13.3 ppm in their (1)H NMR spectrum in CDCl(3), indicating strong hydrogen bonding. Biaryl amines with an extremely strong intramolecular N-H-N hydrogen bond (delta(NH) approximately 13 ppm) were assumed to undergo racemization without cleavage of an N-H-N hydrogen bond, while those with a mediumly strong N-H-N hydrogen bond (delta(NH) approximately 11 ppm) are assumed to undergo racemization via cleavage of an N-H-N hydrogen bond. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange of a chiral biaryl amine was found to proceed without any trace of racemization.