Construction of chiral 1,2-cycloalkanopyrrolidines from L-proline using ring closing metathesis (RCM)

Hydrosulfonylation of Alkynes for Stereodivergent Synthesis of Vinyl Sulfones: Synthetic Strategy and Mechanistic Insights

Direct synthesis of thermodynamically less favorable (Z)-vinyl sulfones presents a notable challenge in organic synthesis. In addition, the development of a stereodivergent synthesis for (E)- and (Z)-vinyl sulfones is crucial but remains elusive. In this study, we present a hydrosulfonylation of aryl-substituted alkynes, achieving a stereodivergent synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-vinyl sulfones by leveraging both thermodynamic and kinetic controls. Notably, the synthesis of challenging (Z)-vinyl sulfones was achieved through a kinetically controlled process without the need for a catalyst. To synthesize (E)-vinyl sulfones, unconventional visible light-mediated isomerization was employed as a means of facilitating the transition to the thermodynamically favored form. The present study encompasses a comprehensive experimental and computational investigation, which provides valuable insights into the reaction mechanism. This investigation reveals two plausible isomerization pathways: a novel double spin-flip mechanism and a hydrogen atom transfer process in the presence of eosin Y. This study not only advances our understanding of isomerization mechanisms beyond conventional energy-transfer routes but also offers a robust and switchable strategy for synthesizing (E)- and (Z)-vinyl sulfones, thereby providing a versatile avenue for the creation of valuable compounds in the fields of organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.

Synthesis of (+)-Panamonon B, 7-epi-Panamonon B, and Their (Z)-Isomers

(+)-Panamonon B was synthesized with the key quaternary center (of a predefined absolute configuration) installed using Stoltz asymmetric allylation. The C-5 ketone functionality and the cross-conjugated enone moiety in the side chain were introduced via a photosensitized [2+4] cycloaddition of singlet oxygen to diene silyl enol ether and an aldol condensation under the conditions of Sugiura, respectively. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR of the synthetic and natural samples were fully consistent with each other. However, because two samples showed opposite signs for optical rotations, they must be antipodes to one another. The synthesis also provided valuable chances to observe unexpected, yet rather intriguing, phenomena such as a bulky substituent in an axial position of a cyclohexane ring and (E)-and (Z)-isomers with opposite signs for optical rotations despite their identical stereogenic centers. The rare occurrence of a bulky substituent in an axial position of a cyclohexane ring is rationalized as a consequence of the presence of a quaternary center and formation of the five-membered lactone fused to the six-membered ring, while the so far unnoticed influence of C═C geometry on optical rotation is shown to be consistent with the information encapsulated in several discrete pairs of similar compounds retrieved from the literature.

[Development of environmentally friendly organometallic catalysis for drug discovery and its application to heterocyclic chemistry]

Two new catalysts, ruthenium hydride with a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic carbene (A) and an organopalladium catalyst supported on a sulfur-terminated semi-conductor, gallium arsenide (001) (B) were discovered. Both catalysts are environmentally benign, because A can yield indole derivatives with good atom economy, and B can catalyze the Mizoroki-Heck reaction more than 10 times with only trace amounts of leached palladium (ppb level). Substituted 1,2-dihydroquinoline, indole and 3-methylene-2,3-dihydroindole were also prepared selectively from the common starting material, N-allyl-o-vinylaniline, and catalyst by slight modification of the reaction conditions. These procedures address an important issue in diversity-oriented synthesis. These methods utility were demonstrated by application to biologically active natural products synthesis.

Development of isomerization and cycloisomerization with use of a ruthenium hydride with N-heterocyclic carbene and its application to the synthesis of heterocycles

A pure ruthenium hydride complex with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand was efficiently generated from the reaction of a second-generation Grubbs ruthenium catalyst with vinyloxytrimethylsilane and unambiguously characterized. This ruthenium hydride complex showed high catalytic activity for the selective isomerization of terminal olefin and for the cycloisomerization of 1,6-dienes. These reactions of N-allyl-o-vinylaniline lead to novel synthetic methods for heterocycles such as indoles and 3-methylene-2,3-dihydroindoles, which are useful synthons for bioactive natural products. These procedures address an important issue in diversity-oriented synthesis.

Development of Environmentally Benign Organometallic Catalysis for Drug Discovery and Its Application

We have developed a novel organometallic catalysis and applied it to drug discovery. Two new catalysts were found, ruthenium hydride with a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic carbene (A) and an organopalladium catalyst supported on a sulfur-terminated semiconductor, gallium arsenide (001) (B). Both catalysts are environmentally benign, because A can yield indole derivatives with good atom economy, and B can catalyze the Mizoroki-Heck reaction more than 10 times with only trace amounts of leached palladium (ppb level). We also describe our synthetic study of nitrogen-containing heterocycles using ring-closing metathesis (RCM), such as chiral bicyclic lactams, azacycloundecenes, axially chiral macrolactams, 1,2-dihydroquinolines and indoles, including the development of silyl-enol ether ene metathesis, selective isomerization of terminal olefin, enamide metathesis and cycloisomerization and its application to the syntheis of 4 natural products, (-)-coniceine, (S)-pyrrolam A, angustureine, and fistulosin.

Highly Chiral Muscarinic Ligands: The Discovery of (2S,2‘R,3‘S,5‘R)-1-Methyl-2-(2-methyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)pyrrolidine 3-sulfoxide Methyl Iodide, a Potent, Functionally Selective, M2 Partial Agonist

By further steric complication of previously studied highly chiral muscarinic agonists, we have obtained a small chiral library of enantiomeric and diasteromeric 1-methyl-2-(2-methyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)pyrrolidine 3-sulfoxides. Binding studies on cloned human muscarinic receptors expressed in CHO cells show that the introduction of a fourth stereogenic center gives undetectable affinity for hm1, hm3, hm4 and hm5 subtypes while leaving a quite modest affinity only for hm2 subtypes. However, functional studies on model M1-M4 muscarinic tissues have shown that three compounds of the series [(-)-5, (-)-7, (+)-8] are endowed with functional activity and behave as M2 selective partial agonists. Among them, compound (2S,2'R,3'S,5'R)-1-methyl-2-(2-methyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)pyrrolidine 3-sulfoxide methyl iodide [(+)-8] is particularly interesting, as it is a potent partial agonist on guinea pig atrium (force) (M2; pD2=7.65, alpha=0.41) while being a poor antagonist on M1, M3, and M4 model tissues (pKb<5).

Synthesis of the Putative Structure of Fistulosin Using the Ruthenium-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Diene

Fistulosin 1, which was isolated from the root of the Welsh onion, is a novel indole alkaloid that has antifungal activity. The first total synthesis of the reported structure of fistulosin using our cycloisomerization of diene is described.