Asymmetric synthesis of an N-acylpyrrolidine for inhibition of HCV polymerase.

A practical asymmetric synthesis of a highly substituted N-acylpyrrolidine on multi-kilogram scale is described. The key step in the construction of the three stereocenters is a [3+2] cycloaddition of methyl acrylate and an imino ester prepared from l-leucine t-butyl ester hydrochloride and 2-thiazolecarboxaldehyde. The cycloaddition features novel asymmetric catalysis via a complex of silver acetate and a cinchona alkaloid, particularly hydroquinine, with complete diastereomeric control and up to 87% enantiomeric control.

Efficient synthesis of an adenosine A2a agonist: glycosylation of 2-haloadenines and an N2-alkyl-6-chloroguanine.

A convergent synthesis of adenosine A2a agonist 1 in the form of its maleate salt 2 was achieved. The key step in this approach was the highly selective 9beta-glycosylation reaction between 2-haloadenines or an N(2)-alkyl-6-chloroguanine and a D-ribose derivative containing a 2-ethyltetrazolyl moiety. Glycosylations of other purine derivatives were also examined, and the methods developed provide efficient access to a variety of adenosine analogues such as 2-alkylaminoadenosines, an attractive class of compounds with antiinflammatory activity.

An unexpected equilibrium process associated with a standard approach to ynone synthesis.

A direct comparison between Weinreb amides and morpholine amides was made with regard to their reactions with alkynyllithium reagents to form ynones. While treatment with stoichiometric alkynyllithium generally effects complete reaction in the case of Weinreb amides, incomplete reactions are obtained from the corresponding morpholine amides. This difference is attributed to an unexpected equilibrium process in the latter case, and it is shown that the use of excess alkynyllithium reagent with morpholine amides provides a synthetically useful synthesis of ynones at 0 degrees C.