Applications In Natural Product Synthesis Research Articles

Applications of the Nicholas Reaction in the Synthesis of Natural Products

The Nicholas reaction involves the treatment of a cobalt carbonyl-stabilized propargylic cation with a variety of nucleophiles to form a new carbon-carbon or carbon-heteroatom bond. Several features of this reaction make it especially well suited for applications in natural product synthesis, in particular when cyclic and polycyclic target molecules are involved. This review summarizes the results in this area from the last ten years, including approaches towards terpenes, alkaloids and marine natural products.

Mild and Rapid Method for the Generation of ortho-(Naphtho)quinone Methide Intermediates

A new mild method has been devised for generating o-(naphtho)quinone methides via fluoride-induced desilylation of silyl derivatives of o-hydroxybenzyl(or 1-naphthylmethyl) nitrate. The reactive o-(naphtho)quinone methide intermediates were trapped by C, O, N, and S nucleophiles and underwent "inverse electron-demand" hetero-Diels-Alder reaction with dienophiles to give stable adducts. The method has useful potential application in natural product synthesis and drug research.

Acid-Promoted Rearrangement of Drimane Type Epoxy Compounds and Their Application in Natural Product Synthesis

The reactions of (±)-α-epoxy drimenol (4) and (±)-α-epoxy drimenyl cyanide (6) with acids (proton acid or Lewis acid) selectively gave the rearranged aldehyde (±)-13 and (±)-15 having the hydroindane skeleton, respectively, while the reactions of (±)-4 and (±)-6 with Dibal-H selectively afforded the allyl alcohol (±)-14 and (±)-16, respectively. The reactions of (8aR)-6 and (8aS)-6 with Dibal-H were applied for the determination of the absolute structure of natural 7β-acetoxy-ent-labda-8(17),13(14)E-dien-15-ol (18). The reaction of (±)-α-epoxy bicyclofarnesol (5) and (8aS)-5 with proton acid selectively provided the rearranged ketol (±)- and (8aS)-31 having the hydroindane skeleton, respectively. The optically active (8aS)-31 was converted to the natural (9S)-austrodoric acid (33).

Recent advances in transition-metal-free carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond-forming reactions using arynes

This tutorial review is aimed at highlighting recent developments in transition-metal-free carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions utilizing a versatile class of reactive intermediates, viz., arynes, which hold the potential for numerous applications in organic synthesis. Key to the success of the resurgence of interest in the rich chemistry of arynes is primarily the mild condition for their generation by the fluoride-induced 1,2-elimination of 2-(trimethylsilyl)aryl triflates. Consequently, arynes have been employed for the construction of multisubstituted arenes with structural diversity and complexity. The versatile transition-metal-free applications of arynes include cycloaddition reactions, insertion reactions and multicomponent reactions. In addition, arynes have found applications in natural product synthesis. Herein, we present a concise account of the major developments that occurred in this field during the past eight years.

Transition‐Metal‐Mediated Routes to 3,3‐Disubstituted Oxindoles through Anilide Cyclisation

AbstractThis review describes transition‐metal‐catalysed and ‐mediated processes for the preparation of oxindoles from anilides through C(3)–C(3a) bond formation. Traditional methods, such as the Heck reaction, and recent developments, including direct Ar–H coupling processes, are presented, as are applications in natural product synthesis.

ChemInform Abstract: How Easy Are the Syntheses of Allenes?

AbstractReview: 309 refs.

ChemInform Abstract: Metathesis Involving a Relay and Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

AbstractReview: 52 refs.

ChemInform Abstract: SmI2‐Induced Cyclizations and Their Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

AbstractReview: 98 refs.

ChemInform Abstract: SmI2‐Induced Reductive Cyclizations for the Synthesis of Cyclic Ethers and Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

AbstractReview: 88 refs.

Enantioselective Copper‐Catalysed Allylic Alkylation of Cinnamyl Chlorides by Grignard Reagents using Chiral Phosphine‐Phosphite Ligands

AbstractThe copper(I)‐catalysed SN2′‐type allylic substitution of E‐3‐aryl‐allyl chlorides (cinnamyl chlorides) using Grignard reagents represents a powerful method for the synthesis of compounds carrying a benzylic stereocentre. By screening a small library of modular chiral phosphine‐phosphite ligands a new copper(I)‐based catalyst system was identified which allows the performance of such reactions with exceptional high degrees of regio‐ and enantioselectivity. Best results were obtained using TADDOL‐derived ligands (3 mol%), copper(I) bromide⋅dimethyl sulfide (CuBr⋅SMe2) (2.5 mol%) and methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) as a solvent. Various (1‐alkyl‐allyl)benzene derivatives were prepared with up to 99% ee (GC) in isolated yields of up to 99%. In most cases the product contained less than 3% of the linear regioisomer (except for ortho‐substituted substrates). Both electron‐rich and electron‐deficient cinnamyl chlorides were successfully employed. The absolute configuration of the products was assigned by comparison of experimental and calculated CD spectra. The substrates were prepared from the corresponding alcohols by reaction with thionyl chloride. Initially formed mixtures of regioisomeric allylic chlorides were homogenised by treatment with CuBr⋅SMe2 (2.5 mol%) in the presence of triphenyl phosphine (PPh3) (3 mol%) in MTBE at low temperature to give the pure linear isomers. In reactions with methylmagnesium bromide (MeMgBr) an ortho‐diphenylphosphanyl‐arylphosphite ligand with an additional phenyl substituent in ortho′‐position at the aryl backbone proved to be superior. In contrast, best results were obtained in the case of higher alkyl Grignard reagents (such as ethyl‐, n‐butyl‐, isopropyl‐, and 3‐butenylmagnesium bromides) with a related ligand carrying an isopropyl substituent in ortho′‐position. The method was tested on a multi‐mmol scale and is suited for application in natural product synthesis.

SmI2‐induced cyclizations and their applications in natural product synthesis

Since the isolation of brevetoxin-B, a red tide toxin, many bioactive marine natural products featuring synthetically challenging trans-fused polycyclic ether ring systems have been reported. We have developed SmI(2)-induced cyclization of beta-alkoxyacrylate with aldehyde, affording 2,6-syn-2,3-trans-tetrahydropyran (THP) or 2,7-syn-2,3-trans-oxepane with complete stereoselection, as a key reaction of efficient iterative and bi-directional strategies for the construction of these polycyclic ethers. This reaction is also applicable to the synthesis of 3-, 5-, and 6-methyl-THPs and 3,5-dimethyl-THP. The synthesis of 2-methyl- and 2,6-dimethyl-THPs was accomplished by means of a unique methyl insertion. Recently, the SmI(2)-induced cyclization was extended to similar reactions using beta-alkoxyvinyl sulfone and sulfoxide. Reaction of (E)- and (Z)-beta-alkoxyvinyl sulfone-aldehyde afforded 2,6-syn-2,3-trans- and 2,6-syn-2,3-cis- THPs, respectively. Reaction of (E)-beta-alkoxyvinyl (R)- and (S)-sulfoxides gave 2,6-anti-2,3-cis- and 2,6-syn-2,3-trans-THPs, respectively. Reaction of (Z)-beta-alkoxyvinyl (R)-sulfoxides gave 2,6-syn-2,3-cis-THP and an olefinic product, while that of (Z)-beta-alkoxyvinyl (S)-sulfoxide afforded a mixture of many products. These SmI(2)-induced cyclizations have been applied to the total syntheses of various natural products, including brevetoxin-B, mucocin, pyranicin, and pyragonicin. Synthetic studies on gambierol and maitotoxin are also introduced.

(1R)-(+)-Camphor and Acetone Derived α′-Hydroxy Enones in Asymmetric Diels−Alder Reaction: Catalytic Activation by Lewis and Brønsted Acids, Substrate Scope, Applications in Syntheses, and Mechanistic Studies

The Diels-Alder reaction constitutes one of the most powerful and convergent C-C bond-forming transformations and continues to be the privileged route to access cyclohexene substructures, which are widespread within natural products and bioactive constituents. Over the recent years, asymmetric catalytic Diels-Alder methodologies have experienced a tremendous advance, but still inherently difficult diene-dienophile combinations prevail, such as those involving dienes less reactive than cyclopentadiene or dienophiles like beta-substituted acrylates and equivalents. Here the main features of alpha'-hydroxy enones as reaction partners of the Diels-Alder reaction are shown, with especial focus on their potentials and limitations in solving the above difficult cases. Alpha'-hydroxy enones are able to bind reversibly to both Lewis acids and Brønsted acids, forming 1,4-coordinated species that are shown to efficiently engage in these inherently difficult Diels-Alder reactions. On these bases, a convenient control of the reaction stereocontrol can be achieved using a camphor-derived chiral alpha'-hydroxy enone model (substrate-controlled asymmetric induction) and either Lewis acid or Brønsted acid catalysis. Complementing this approach, highly enantio- and diastereoselective Diels-Alder reactions can also be carried out by using simple achiral alpha'-hydroxy enones in combination with Evans' chiral Cu(II)-BOX complexes (catalyst-controlled asymmetric induction). Of importance, alpha'-hydroxy enones showed improved reactivity profiles and levels of stereoselectivity (endo/exo and facial selectivity) as compared with other prototypical dienophiles in the reactions involving dienes less reactive than cyclopentadiene. A rationale of some of these results is provided based on both kinetic experiments and quantum calculations. Thus, kinetic measurements of Brønsted acid promoted Diels-Alder reactions of alpha'-hydroxy enones show a first-order rate with respect to both enone and Brønsted acid promoter. Quantum calculations also support this trend and provide a rational explanation of the observed stereochemical outcome of the reactions. Finally, these fundamental studies are complemented with applications in natural products synthesis. More specifically, a nonracemic synthesis of (-)-nicolaioidesin C is described wherein a Brønsted acid catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction involving a alpha'-hydroxy enone substrate is the key step toward the hitherto challenging trisubstituted cyclohexene subunit.

ChemInform Abstract: Bond Formations by Intermolecular and Intramolecular Trappings of Acylketenes and Their Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

SmI2-induced reductive cyclizations for the synthesis of cyclic ethers and applications in natural product synthesis

This tutorial review covers SmI(2)-induced reductive cyclizations of beta-alkoxyacrylate, beta-alkoxyvinyl sulfone, and beta-alkoxyvinyl sulfoxide, as methods for efficient construction of cyclic ethers. These cyclizations were developed as tools to aid in the total synthesis of marine polycyclic ethers, whose complex, synthetically challenging structures and potent bioactivities have attracted the attention of numerous synthetic organic chemists. Applications of the methods to total syntheses of various natural products containing cyclic ether are also described.

Heterocycles from cyclopropanes: applications in natural product synthesis

The construction of heterocyclic compounds from activated cyclopropane derivatives offers an alternative strategy for the preparation of molecules that may be of interest from a structural or biological standpoint. Several newly developed methods provide access to densely functionalized heterocycles in a manner that can be considered useful for both diversity- and target-oriented synthetic approaches. This tutorial review focuses on the latter, describing recent developments and applications of cyclopropane ring-expansion reactions in natural product synthesis.

Bond formations by intermolecular and intramolecular trappings of acylketenes and their applications in natural product synthesis

The reactive intermediates known as acylketenes exhibit a rich chemistry and have been extensively utilized for many types of inter- and intramolecular bond-forming reactions within the field of organic synthesis. Characteristic reactions of acylketenes include cycloadditions, carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions, and nucleophilic capture with alcohols or amines to give beta-keto acid derivatives. In particular, the intramolecular capture of acylketene intermediates with pendant nucleophiles represents a powerful method for forming both medium-sized rings and macrocycles, often in high yield. This tutorial review examines the history, generation, and reactivity of acylketenes with a special focus on their applications in the synthesis of natural products.

ChemInform Abstract: The Oxa‐Michael Reaction: From Recent Developments to Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

The oxa-Michael reaction: from recent developments to applications in natural product synthesis

In marked contrast to Michael reactions, oxa-Michael reactions have not been used as standard transformations in organic synthesis until quite recently. This was mainly due to a lack of reactivity and selectivity, although the potential products of such reactions are valuable intermediates. This tutorial review presents recent major advances in the field of oxa-Michael (sometimes called oxo-Michael or oxy-Michael) reactions and applications in the total synthesis of complex natural products.

Synthesis of Nitrogen Heterocycles by the Ring Opening of Pyridinium Salts

The century-old ring-opening reaction of pyridinium salts with tethered nucleophiles has been harnessed for a synthesis of substituted indoles and related nitrogen heterocyles. Extension of this method could lead to oxygen- and sulfur-containing heterocycles and carbocycles, as well as to applications in natural product synthesis and medicinal chemistry.

Novel Routes to Pyrroles, Indoles and Carbazoles: Applications in Natural Product Synthesis

AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.