Total syntheses, fragmentation studies, and antitumor/antiproliferative activities of FR901464 and its low picomolar analogue.

FR901464 is a potent anticancer natural product that lowers the mRNA levels of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. In this article, we report a convergent enantioselective synthesis of FR901464, which was accomplished in 13 linear steps. Central to the synthetic approach was the diene-ene cross olefin metathesis reaction to generate the C6-C7 olefin without the use of protecting groups as the final step.

Total synthesis of FR901464, an antitumor agent that regulates the transcription of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

FR901464 is a potent anticancer agent that regulates the transcription of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. A convergent enantioselective synthesis of FR901464 was accomplished in 13 linear steps. Central to the synthetic approach was the diene-ene cross olefin metathesis reaction to generate the C6-C7 olefin, without the use of protecting groups, as the final coupling.

Asymmetric total synthesis of fredericamycin A: an intramolecular cycloaddition pathway.

The asymmetric total synthesis of the potent antitumor antibiotic fredericamycin A ((S)-1) was achieved by the intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition of the silylene-protected styrene derivative (S)-7 followed by the aromatic Pummerer-type reaction of the sulfoxide (S)-5. Although we had already succeeded in the total synthesis of racemic 1 by the same approach, synthesis of its asymmetric version was more complicated than we had expected due to the difficulties involved in constructing the quaternary carbon center and the tendency of this center to undergo facile racemization. Racemization of this center during the installation of the acetylene moiety on the dione (R)-8 was the most serious aspect.

Enantiodivergent preparation of optically active oxindoles having a stereogenic quaternary carbon center at the C3 position via the lipase-catalyzed desymmetrization protocol: effective use of 2-furoates for either enzymatic esterification or hydrolysis.

Both enantiomers of oxindoles 2a-h, having a stereogenic quaternary carbon center at the C3 position and a different N-protective group, were readily prepared by the lipase-catalyzed desymmetrization protocol. Thus, the transesterification of the prochiral diols 3a-h with 1-ethoxyvinyl 2-furoate 5 was catalyzed by Candida rugosa lipase to give (R)-(+)-2a-h (68-99% ee), in which the use of a mixed solvent, (i)Pr(2)O (diisopropyl ether)-THF, was crucial. The same lipase also effected the enantioselective hydrolysis of the difuroates 4a-h in a mixture of (i)Pr(2)O, THF, and H(2)O to provide the enantiomers (S)-(-)-2a-h (82-99% ee).

Lipase-catalyzed domino kinetic resolution/intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction: one-pot synthesis of optically active 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptenes from furfuryl alcohols and beta-substituted acrylic acids.

The first lipase-catalyzed domino reaction is described in which the acyl moiety formed during the enzymatic kinetic resolution of furfuryl alcohols (+/-)-3 with a 1-ethoxyvinyl ester 2 was utilized as a part of the constituent structure for the subsequent Diels-Alder reaction. The preparation of ester 2 from carboxylic acid 1 and the subsequent domino reaction were carried out in a one-pot reaction. Therefore, this procedure provides a convenient preparation of the optically active 7-oxabicyclo[2.

Efficient lipase-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrization of prochiral 2,2-disubstituted 1,3-propanediols and meso 1,2-diols using 1-ethoxyvinyl 2-furoate.

An efficient lipase-catalyzed desymmetrization of prochiral 2,2-disubstituted 1,3-propanediols was developed using 1-ethoxyvinyl 2-furoate 1b, for which the well-known method using vinyl or isopropenyl acetate has had limited success due to low reactivity and easy racemization of the products through acyl group migration. The reagent 1b is highly reactive and converts various prochiral 1,3-diols to the monoesters having a chiral quaternary carbon center with 82-99% ee. These products were stable against racemization under acidic conditions, and their furoyl groups were compatible with oxidative conditions.