Photoracemization of Blestriarene C and Its Analogs.

Two analogs of blestriarene C (4,4'-dimethoxy-1,1'-biphenanthrene-2,2',7,7'-tetraol) bearing no 7,7'-dihydroxy (3) and 4,4'-dimethoxy groups were prepared. Unlike blestriarene C (1), compounds and , as well as 1,1'-biphenanthrene-2,2'-diol (5), do not racemize under fluorescent lamp illumination. Cyclic voltammetry analysis reveals that compound has a lower half-wave potential (E(1/2)) than compounds , suggesting that a redox cycle is involved in the racemization.

Synthetic study of azaspiracid-1: synthesis of the EFGHI-ring fragment.

Here, we report a synthesis of the lower half C21-C40 fragment of the shellfish toxin, azaspiracid-1. The C28-C40 fragment was synthesized by a coupling between the C28-C35 epoxide and the C36-C40 dithioacetal anion, followed by the HI-ring spiroaminal formation. An aldehyde corresponding to the C28-C40 fragment was then coupled with the C21-C27 allylic stannane by using InCl3.