A reductive coupling strategy towards ripostatin A.

Synthetic studies on the antibiotic natural product ripostatin A have been carried out with the aim to construct the C9-C10 bond by a nickel(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction of an enyne and an epoxide, followed by rearrangement of the resulting dienylcyclopropane intermediate to afford the skipped 1,4,7-triene. A cyclopropyl enyne fragment corresponding to C1-C9 has been synthesized in high yield and demonstrated to be a competent substrate for the nickel(0)-catalyzed coupling with a model epoxide. Several synthetic approaches toward the C10-C26 epoxide have been pursued.

Total synthesis and evaluation of vinblastine analogues containing systematic deep-seated modifications in the vindoline subunit ring system: core redesign.

The total synthesis of a systematic series of vinblastine analogues that contain deep-seated structural modifications to the core ring system of the lower vindoline subunit is described. Complementary to the vindoline 6,5 DE ring system, compounds with 5,5, 6,6, and the reversed 5,6 membered DE ring systems were prepared. Both the natural cis and unnatural trans 6,6-membered ring systems proved accessible, with the latter representing a surprisingly effective class for analogue design.

A remarkable series of vinblastine analogues displaying enhanced activity and an unprecedented tubulin binding steric tolerance: C20' urea derivatives.

A systematic series of previously inaccessible key C20' urea and thiourea derivatives of vinblastine were prepared from 20'-aminovinblastine that was made accessible through a unique Fe(III)/NaBH(4)-mediated alkene functionalization reaction of anhydrovinblastine. Their examination defined key structural features of the urea-based analogues that contribute to their properties and provided derivatives that match or exceed the potency of vinblastine by as much as 10-fold in cell-based functional assays, which is directly related to their relative tubulin binding affinity. In contrast to expectations based on apparent steric constraints of the tubulin binding site surrounding the vinblastine C20' center depicted in an X-ray cocrystal structure, remarkably large C20' urea derivatives are accommodated.

Catalytic Addition of Simple Alkenes to Carbonyl Compounds Using Group 10 Metals.

Recent advances using nickel complexes in the activation of unactivated monosubstituted olefins for catalytic intermolecular carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions with carbonyl compounds, such as simple aldehydes, isocyanates, and conjugated aldehydes and ketones, are discussed. In these reactions, the olefins function as vinyl- and allylmetal equivalents, providing a new strategy for organic synthesis. Current limitations and the outlook for this new strategy are also discussed.

Nickel-Catalyzed Coupling Reactions of Alkenes.

Several reactions of simple, unactivated alkenes with electrophiles under nickel(0) catalysis are discussed. The coupling of olefins with aldehydes and silyl triflates provides allylic or homoallylic alcohol derivatives, depending on the supporting ligands and, to a lesser extent, the substrates employed. Reaction of alkenes with isocyanates yields N-alkyl acrylamides.

Nickel-catalyzed synthesis of acrylamides from alpha-olefins and isocyanates.

[reaction: see text] The nickel(0)-catalyzed coupling of alpha-olefins and isocyanates proceeds in the presence of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligand IPr to provide alpha,beta-unsaturated amides. Carbon-carbon bond formation occurs preferentially at the 2-position of the olefin. The N-tert-butyl amide products can be converted to the corresponding primary amides under acidic conditions.