Evidence for Dearomatizing Spirocyclization and Dynamic Effects in the Quasi-stereospecific Nitrogen Deletion of Tetrahydroisoquinolines.

Selectivity in organic chemistry is generally presumed to arise from energy differences between competing selectivity-determining transition states. However, in cases where static density functional theory (DFT) fails to reproduce experimental product distributions, dynamic effects can be examined to understand the behavior of more complex reaction systems. Previously, we reported a method for nitrogen deletion of secondary amines which relies on the formation of isodiazene intermediates that subsequently extrude dinitrogen with concomitant C-C bond formation via a caged diradical.

Aromatic nitrogen scanning by -selective nitrene internalization.

Nitrogen scanning in aryl fragments is a valuable aspect of the drug discovery process, but current strategies require time-intensive, parallel, bottom-up synthesis of each pyridyl isomer because of a lack of direct carbon-to-nitrogen (C-to-N) replacement reactions. We report a site-directable aryl C-to-N replacement reaction allowing unified access to various pyridine isomers through a nitrene-internalization process. In a two-step, one-pot procedure, aryl azides are first photochemically converted to 3-azepines, which then undergo an oxidatively triggered C2-selective cheletropic carbon extrusion through a spirocyclic azanorcaradiene intermediate to afford the pyridine products.

Direct Deaminative Functionalization.

Selective functional group interconversions in complex molecular settings underpin many of the challenges facing modern organic synthesis. Currently, a privileged subset of functional groups dominates this landscape, while others, despite their abundance, are sorely underdeveloped. Amines epitomize this dichotomy; they are abundant but otherwise intransigent toward direct interconversion.

Unified Access to Pyrimidines and Quinazolines Enabled by N-N Cleaving Carbon Atom Insertion.

Given the ubiquity of heterocycles in biologically active molecules, transformations with the capacity to modify such molecular skeletons with modularity remain highly desirable. Ring expansions that enable interconversion of privileged heterocyclic motifs are especially interesting in this regard. As such, the known mechanisms for ring expansion and contraction determine the classes of heterocycle amenable to skeletal editing.

Single-atom logic for heterocycle editing.

Medicinal chemistry continues to be impacted by new synthetic methods. Particularly sought after, especially at the drug discovery stage, is the ability to enact the desired chemical transformations in a concise and chemospecific fashion. To this end, the field of organic synthesis has become captivated by the idea of 'molecular editing'-to rapidly build onto, change or prune molecules one atom at a time using transformations that are mild and selective enough to be employed at the late stages of a synthetic sequence.

Bioinspired enantioselective total syntheses of antibacterial callistrilones enabled by double S2' cascade.

A bioinspired, catalytic approach to the enantioselective total syntheses of antibacterial callistrilones A, C-E and 13--callistrilone E natural products containing an unprecedented, sterically compact [1]benzofuro-[2,3-]xanthene 6/6/6/5/6/3-fused hexacyclic skeleton is described. The key features of the synthesis include a highly regio- and diastereoselective double S2' cascade reaction, Lewis acid catalysed Michael addition and late stage diastereoselective epoxide formation from the sterically hindered β-face of the alkene as the key steps.

Direct Deamination of Primary Amines via Isodiazene Intermediates.

We report here a reaction that selectively deaminates primary amines and anilines under mild conditions and with remarkable functional group tolerance including a range of pharmaceutical compounds, amino acids, amino sugars, and natural products. An anomeric amide reagent is uniquely capable of facilitating the reaction through the intermediacy of an unprecedented monosubstituted isodiazene intermediate. In addition to dramatically simplifying deamination compared to existing protocols, our approach enables strategic applications of iminium and amine-directed chemistries as traceless methods.

Skeletal editing through direct nitrogen deletion of secondary amines.

Synthetic chemistry aims to build up molecular complexity from simple feedstocks. However, the ability to exert precise changes that manipulate the connectivity of the molecular skeleton itself remains limited, despite possessing substantial potential to expand the accessible chemical space. Here we report a reaction that 'deletes' nitrogen from organic molecules.

Streamlined Symmetrical Total Synthesis of Disorazole B and Design, Synthesis, and Biological Investigation of Disorazole Analogues.

Taking advantage of the -symmetry of the antitumor naturally occurring disorazole B molecule, a symmetrical total synthesis was devised with a monomeric advanced intermediate as the key building block, whose three-step conversion to the natural product allowed for an expeditious entry to this family of compounds. Application of the developed synthetic strategies and methods provided a series of designed analogues of disorazole B, whose biological evaluation led to the identification of a number of potent antitumor agents and the first structure-activity relationships (SARs) within this class of compounds. Specifically, the substitutions of the epoxide units and lactone moieties with cyclopropyl and lactam structural motifs, respectively, were found to be tolerable for biological activities and beneficial with regard to chemical stability.

Sc(OTf)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Symmetrical Dithioacetals and Bisarylmethanes Using Nitromethane as a Methylene Source.

Use of nitromethane as an electrophilic methylene source for the synthesis of symmetrical dithioacetals and bisarylmethanes has been showcased using Sc(OTf) as a catalyst. The procedure allows straightforward access to the densely functionalized dithioacetals and bisarylmethanes under mild conditions. Additionally, the method has been applied for the synthesis of antimalarial tetramethyl mellotojaponin C and anticancer dimeric phloroglucinol derivative.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Investigation of Epothilone B Analogues Featuring Lactone, Lactam, and Carbocyclic Macrocycles, Epoxide, Aziridine, and 1,1-Difluorocyclopropane and Other Fluorine Residues.

Despite previous studies within the epothilone field, only one member of this compound family, ixabepilone, made it to approval for clinical use. Recent advances in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry allow further optimization of lead epothilone analogues aiming to improve their potencies and other pharmacological properties as part of the quest for discovery and development of new anticancer drugs, including antibody-drug conjugates as potential targeted cancer therapies. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of new epothilone B analogues equipped with novel structural motifs, including fluorine-containing residues, 12,13-difluorocyclopropyl moieties, mono- and dimethylated macrolactones, and 1-keto macrocyclic systems, as well as two N-substituted ixabepilone analogues in which the 12,13-epoxide and macrolactam NH moieties were replaced, the former with a substituted aziridine moiety and the latter with an NCO-alkyl residue (imide or carbamate).

Total Synthesis of Adunctin B.

Total synthesis of (±)-adunctin B, a natural product isolated from Piper aduncum (Piperaceae), has been achieved using two different strategies, in seven and three steps. The efficient approach features highly atom economical and diastereoselective Friedel-Crafts acylation, alkylation reaction and palladium catalyzed Wacker type oxidative cyclization.

Biomimetic Total Syntheses of Callistrilones A, B, and D.

A biomimetic total syntheses of antibacterial natural products (±)-callistrilones A, B, and D, the first triketone-phloroglucinol-monoterpene hybrids with an unprecedented [1]benzofuro[2,3-a]xanthene and [1]benzofuro[3,2-b]xanthene pentacyclic ring system along with the postulated biosynthetic intermediate, isolated from the leaves of Callistemon rigidus, were achieved. The total synthesis features highly regio- and diastereoselective catalytic Friedel-Crafts alkylation, palladium-catalyzed Wacker-type oxidative cyclization, Michael addition, and late-stage diastereoselective epoxide formation from the extremely hindered β face as key steps.

Enantiospecific total syntheses of meroterpenoids (-)-F1839-I and (-)-corallidictyals B and D.

Enantiospecific total syntheses of spiromeroterpenoid natural products (-)-F1839-I and (-)-corallidictyals B and D were achieved using the environmentally benign and highly atom economical Lewis acid catalysed Friedel-Crafts reaction and a highly regio- and stereoselective spirocyclic C-O bond formation reaction.

Enantiospecific total syntheses and assignment of absolute configuration of cannabinol-skeletal carbazole alkaloids murrayamines-O and -P.

First enantiospecific total syntheses of the cannabinol-skeletal carbazole alkaloids murrayamines-O and -P isolated from root barks of Murraya euchrestifoli, have been accomplished by highly diastereoselective, Lewis acid catalyzed coupling reactions of commercially available monoterpenes with carbazole derivative, which in addition to confirming the structure also established the absolute configuration of the natural products. Synthesis of both natural products and their enantiomers was achieved with high atom economy, in a protecting-group free manner and in six steps longest linear sequence from commercially available aniline derivative and verbenol.

Enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-hostmanin A, (-)-linderol A, (+)-methyllinderatin and structural reassignment of adunctin E.

A one-step protocol has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of hexahydrodibenzofuran derivatives using a modified Friedel-Crafts reaction. The developed method was applied to the synthesis of a series of natural products including (+)-hostmanin A, (+)-methyllinderatin, and (-)-linderol A. The synthetic and spectroscopic data investigations led to the structural reassignment of natural product adunctin E, which was further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray analysis.

Remarkable switch of regioselectivity in Diels-Alder reaction: divergent total synthesis of borreverine, caulindoles, and flinderoles.

Switchable reaction patterns of dimerization of indole substituted butadienes via a Lewis acid and thermal activation are reported. While under acidic conditions dimerization occurred around the internal double bond of the dienophile, a complete switch of regioselectivity was observed under thermal conditions, where dimerization occurred around the terminal double bond of the dienophile. This switch of regioselectivity was further exploited for the divergent total synthesis of structurally diverse indole alkaloid natural products.