Switching Residues: A Platform for the Synthesis of Fidaxomicin Antibiotics.

Peripheral modification is often the main approach to optimize natural products for improved biological activity or desired physicochemical properties. This procedure inevitably increases molecular weight, often accompanied by undesired increased lipophilicity. Removing structural elements from natural products is not always tolerated.

Carbonylative N-Heterocyclization via Nitrogen-Directed C-C Bond Activation of Nonactivated Cyclopropanes.

Under Rh-catalyzed conditions, secondary amines and anilines function as directing groups to facilitate regioselective C-C bond activation of nonactivated cyclopropanes. The resulting amino-stabilized rhodacycles undergo carbonylative C-N bond formation en route to challenging seven- and eight-membered lactams. The processes represent rare examples where C-C bond oxidative addition of nonactivated cyclopropanes is exploited in reaction design.

Novel fidaxomicin antibiotics through site-selective catalysis.

Fidaxomicin (FDX) is a marketed antibiotic for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI). Fidaxomicin displays antibacterial properties against many Gram-positive bacteria, yet the application of this antibiotic is currently limited to treatment of CDI. Semisynthetic modifications present a promising strategy to improve its pharmacokinetic properties and also circumvent resistance development by broadening the structural diversity of the derivatives.

Domino Pd -Catalyzed C(sp )-H Arylation/Electrocyclic Reactions via Benzazetidine Intermediates.

The Pd -catalyzed C(sp )-H arylation of 2-bromo-N-methylanilides leads to unstable benzazetidine intermediates that rearrange to benzoxazines through 4π electrocyclic ring-opening and 6π electrocyclization. The introduction of a bulky, non-activatable amide group on the nitrogen atom was key to favor the challenging reductive elimination step and disfavor undesired reaction pathways.

A Four-Step Synthesis of (±)-γ-Lycorane via Pd-Catalyzed Double C(sp)-H/C(sp)-H Arylation.

An expedient synthesis of lycorine alkaloids is reported using a palladium(0)-catalyzed double C-X/C-H arylation as the key step. The selectivity of this reaction was controlled through the judicious choice of the two halogen atoms, and its generality was demonstrated through the construction of various substituted pyrrolophenanthridinones. A selective arene hydrogenation allowed for the completion of the synthesis of (±)-γ-lycorane in just four steps from commercially available precursors.

Synthesis of β-Lactams by Palladium(0)-Catalyzed C(sp )-H Carbamoylation.

A general and user-friendly synthesis of β-lactams is reported that makes use of Pd -catalyzed carbamoylation of C(sp )-H bonds, and operates under stoichiometric carbon monoxide in a two-chamber reactor. This reaction is compatible with a range of primary, secondary and activated tertiary C-H bonds, in contrast to previous methods based on C(sp )-H activation. In addition, the feasibility of an enantioselective version using a chiral phosphonite ligand is demonstrated.

Synthesis of Strained γ-Lactams by Palladium(0)-Catalyzed C(sp(3) )-H Alkenylation and Application to Alkaloid Synthesis.

A variety of strained α-alkylidene-γ-lactams were synthesized by palladium(0)-catalyzed intramolecular C(sp(3) )-H alkenylation from easily accessible acyclic and monocyclic bromoalkene precursors. These lactams are valuable intermediates for accessing various classes of mono- and bicylic alkaloids containing a pyrrolidine ring, as illustrated with the synthesis of an advanced model of the marine natural product plakoridine A and of the indolizidine alkaloid δ-coniceine.

Divergent Synthesis of Aeruginosins Based on a C(sp(3))-H Activation Strategy.

A general and scalable access to the aeruginosin family of marine natural products, exhibiting potent inhibitory activity against serine proteases, is reported. This was enabled by the strategic use of two recently implemented Pd-catalyzed C(sp(3))-H activation reactions. The first method allowed us to obtain the common 2-carboxy-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole (Choi) core of the target molecules on a large scale, whereas the second method provided a rapid and divergent access to various hydroxyphenyllactic (Hpla) subunits, including halogenated ones.

A general and scalable synthesis of aeruginosin marine natural products based on two strategic C(sp³)-H activation reactions.

An efficient and scalable access to the aeruginosin family of marine natural products, which exhibit potent inhibitory activity against serine proteases, is reported. This synthesis was enabled by the strategic use of two different, recently implemented C(sp(3))-H activation reactions. The first method led to the common 2-carboxy-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole (Choi) core of the target molecules on a large scale, whereas the second one provided rapid and divergent access to the various hydroxyphenyllactic (Hpla) subunits.

Ligand-controlled α- and β-arylation of acyclic N-Boc amines.

The palladium-catalyzed ligand-controlled arylation of α-zincated acyclic amines, obtained by directed α-lithiation and transmetalation, is described. Whereas PtBu3 gave rise to α-arylated Boc-protected amines, more flexible N-phenylazole-based phosphine ligands induced major β-arylation through migrative cross-coupling.