Total synthesis of dl-quadrone

New β-ketophosphonates for the synthesis of prostaglandin analogues. 1. Phosphonates with a bicyclo[3.3.0]octene scaffold spaced by a methylene group from the β-ketone

The synthesis of β-ketophosphonates, linked by a methylene group to a bicyclo[3.3.0]octene fragment, was performed by the reaction of dimethyl methanephosphonate with the ester group of two intermediates with this scaffold. Starting from a diol, protected with good leaving groups (mesyl and tosyl), we performed a sequence of reactions with good yields: the carbon chain lengthening by reaction with KCN, the hydrolysis of the nitrile groups to carboxyl, the esterification of carboxyl to ester and finally the phosphonate synthesis, which gave one bis-β-ketophosphonate and two mono β-ketophosphonates. The new β-ketophosphonates are key intermediates for obtaining new prostaglandin analogues with a bicyclo[3.3.0]octene fragment in the ω-side chain. The bicyclo[3.3.0]octane scaffold, found in natural products and in anticancer compounds, are expected to keep their activity in PG analogs; the bulky scaffold, separated by a methylene group from the C-15 carbon atom, is expected to diminish the inactivation of the PG analog by enzyme oxidation of 15α-OH oxidation to 15-Keto via PGDH pathway.

Intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction as a strategy for the construction of tricyclic sesquiterpene cores

Starting from a common polyfunctionalized bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-6,8-dione intermediate, a concise synthetic route to tricyclic cores found in quadrane, suberosane, cedrane and related sesquiterpenes was developed using a Morita-Baylis-Hillman intramolecular reaction as a key step.

First enantioselective total synthesis and configurational assignments of suberosenone and suberosanone as potential antitumor agents

The first enantioselective syntheses of (1R)-suberosenone and (1R)-suberosanone are achieved, leading to revision of the AC of a natural (1S)-suberosanone.

Explorations into New Reaction Chemistry

This Review describes the basic concepts that have guided our exploration of new chemical reactions by giving examples of results from my research group. Our strategy of carrying out research is to investigate three to four different topics at a time so we can gather as many results as possible. These may at first appear unrelated to each other but may have the potential to be united into a greater hypothesis after repeated feedback. Three scenarios from our research are presented: the "oxidative-reductive condensation reaction" devised in 1960, which after an interval of nearly 40 years brought forth the new concept of using compounds of structure Ph(2)POR as reducing reagents; the "TiCl(4)-aldol reaction" of 1973 that eventually led to the present "base-promoted aldol reaction" through a chain of ideas; and the "glycosylation reaction using fluorosugars" from 1984 which recently bloomed into "stereocontrolled glycosylation". Thus, it can be said that by reviewing what we had done before, we were able to expand on it to achieve new outcomes.