Total Synthesis of the Marine Polyketide (−)-Gracilioether F

Lewis Acid-Promoted [2 + 2] Cycloadditions of Allenes and Ketenes: Versatile Methods for Natural Product Synthesis

ConspectusCycloaddition reactions are an effective method to quickly build molecular complexity. As predicted by the Woodward-Hoffmann rules, concerted cycloadditions with alkenes allow for the constructions of all possible stereoisomers of product by use of either the Z or E geometry. While this feature of cycloadditions is widely used in, for example, [4 + 2] cycloadditions, translation to [2 + 2] cycloadditions is challenging because of the often stepwise and therefore stereoconvergent nature of these processes. Over the past decade, our lab has explored Lewis acid-promoted [2 + 2] cycloadditions of electron-deficient allenes or ketenes with alkenes. The concerted, asynchronous cycloadditions allow for the synthesis of various cyclobutanes with control of stereochemistry.Our lab developed the first examples of Lewis acid-promoted ketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloadditions. Compared with traditional thermal conditions, Lewis acid-promoted conditions have several advantages, such as increased reactivity, increased yield, improved diastereoselectivity, and, for certain cases, inverse diastereoselectivity. Detailed mechanistic studies revealed that the diastereoselectivity was controlled by the size of the substituent and the barrier of a deconjugation event. However, these reactions required the use of stoichiometric amounts of EtAlCl2 because of the product inhibition, which led us to investigate catalytic enantioselective [2 + 2] cycloadditions of allenoates with alkenes. Through the use of chiral oxazaborolidines, a broad range of cyclobutanes can be prepared with the control of enantioselectivity. Mechanistic experiments, including 2D-labled alkenes and Hammett analysis, illuminate likely transition state models for the cycloadditions. Additional studies led to the development of Lewis acid-catalyzed intramolecular stereoselective [2 + 2] cycloadditions of chiral allenic ketones/esters with alkenes.The methods we developed have been instrumental in the synthesis of several families of natural products. Specifically, one key lactone motif in (±)-gracilioether F was constructed by a ketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloaddition and subsequent regioselective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation sequence. Enantioselective allenoate-alkene [2 + 2] cycloadditions allowed for the synthesis of (-)-hebelophyllene E. Another attempt of applying this method in the synthesis of (+)-[5]-ladderanoic acid failed to deliver the desired cyclobutane because of an unexpected rearrangement. The key cyclobutane was later assembled by a stepwise carboboration/Zweifel olefination process. Finally, the stereoselective [2 + 2] cycloadditions of allenic ketones and alkenes was applied in the syntheses of (-)-[3]-ladderanol, (+)-hippolide J, and (-)-cajanusine.

Unified Biomimetic Approach to (+)-Hippolachnin A: In-Depth Insights into Its Biosynthetic Origin

A formal biomimetic synthesis of (+)-hippolachnin A has been achieved under the guidance of its plausible biosynthetic pathway. Pivotal transformations include an intriguing 1O2-mediated [4 + 2] cycloaddition and a tandem Kornblum-DeLaMare rearrangement/hemiketalization/dehydration reaction. The current work not only offers a unified approach to access skeletally diverse plakortin-type polyketides but also provides convincing evidence to elucidate their underlying biosynthetic network.

Cp2TiCl-Mediated Reductive Cyclization: Total Synthesis of Pestalotiolactone A, Myrotheciumone A, and Scabrol A

The first stereoselective total syntheses of fungal secondary metabolites monoterpenoid (+)-pestalotiolactone A, meroterpenoid (-)-myrotheciumone A, and iridoid lactone (+)-scabrol A have been accomplished in an expedient unified approach starting from d-(+)-malic acid employing an epoxide opening-radical cyclization protocol initiated by Cp₂Ti(III)Cl as a key step to assemble the core bicyclic lactone moieties of these molecules with complete diastereoselective control. Finally, the deoxygenation and methylation delivered the target natural products.

Recent advances in the synthesis of plakortin-type polyketides

Plakortin-type polyketides represent a growing family of sponge-derived marine natural products that display notable structural and biological diversity. In particular, a series of polycyclic plakortin polyketides, namely hippolachnin A and gracilioethers, have been identified in recent years, which attract immense interest from the synthetic community owing to their unique molecular architectures and promising biomedical potential. A number of elegant total syntheses of these targets and some synthetic studies have been performed through either bio-inspired or rationally designed strategies. This focused review aims to provide an up-to-date summary of the progress in the chemical synthesis of plakortin polyketides, with an emphasis on the key synthetic elements enabling the rapid assembly of their core skeletons.

Domino ring-opening-ring-closing enyne metathesis vs enyne metathesis of norbornene derivatives with alkynyl side chains. Construction of condensed polycarbocycles

The metathesis of norbornene derivatives with alkynyl side-chain with Grubbs’ ruthenium alkylidine as catalyst has been investigated with the objective of constructing condensed polycyclic structures. This investigation demonstrated that the generally observed domino reaction course involving a ring-opening metathesis of the norbornene unit and a ring-closing enyne metathesis is influenced to a great extent by the nature of the functional group and the substrate structure and may follow a different reaction course than what is usually observed. In cases where ROM–RCEYM occurred, the resulting 1,3-diene reacts in situ with the dienophile to provide condensed tetracyclic systems.