Structural Investigations of Phthalazinone Derivatives as Allosteric Inhibitors of Human DNA Methyltransferase 3A.

The development of new therapeutics targeting enzymes involved in epigenetic pathways such as histone modification and DNA methylation has received a lot of attention, particularly for targeting diverse cancers. Unfortunately, irreversible nucleoside inhibitors (azacytidine and decitabine) have proven highly cytotoxic, and competitive inhibitors are also problematic. This work describes synthetic and structural investigations of a new class of allosteric DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) inhibitors, leading to the identification of several critical pharmacophores in the lead structure.

Nucleophilic Addition of 4,5-Dihydrooxazole Derivatives to Base Generated -Quinone Methides: A Four-Component Reaction.

A novel method for joining components together in a single pot leading to an assortment of N-amino-benzylated phenols is described. The method involves the addition of different Grignard reagents to various -OBoc salicylaldehydes in the presence of assorted 4,5-dihydrooxazoles, followed by aqueous workup. Seventeen examples are presented with varied (-R, -R' -R″, -R‴, -R⁗, and C) substituents.

Nucleophilic Imines and Electrophilic -Quinone Methides, a Three-Component Assembly of Assorted 3,4-Dihydro-2-1,3-benzoxazines.

A one-pot method for joining three separate components leading to an assortment of N-substituted 3,4-dihydro-2-1,3-benzoxazines is described. The method involves the addition of a Grignard reagent to an -OBoc salicylaldehyde in the presence of an imine. With a variety of components, 15 examples are presented, including the diastereoselective incorporation of chiral imines.

Synthetic Studies toward the Tetrapetalones: Diastereoselective Construction of a Putative Intermediate.

A strategy toward tetrapetalones was explored including a site-selective ethylenation of the silyl enol ether A to afford a quaternary stereocenter that serves in a stereogenic capacity. Regio- and diastereoselective reactions were observed in conjunction with the oxidative formation of cation B, which included subsequent selective formation of either carbon-oxygen or carbon-carbon bonds at the δ or ζ position on the seven-membered ring. The fourth ring was formed using a Stetter reaction.

Unified total syntheses of (-)-medicarpin, (-)-sophoracarpan A, and (±)-kushecarpin A with some structural revisions.

The total syntheses of medicarpin, sophoracarpan A, and kushecarpin A from a common intermediate are achieved by using ortho- and para-quinone methide chemistry. Additionally, the relative stereochemistry of sophoracarpan A and B have been reassigned.

The domestication of ortho-quinone methides.

CONSPECTUS: An ortho-quinone methide (o-QM) is a highly reactive chemical motif harnessed by nature for a variety of purposes. Given its extraordinary reactivity and biological importance, it is surprising how few applications within organic synthesis exist. We speculate that their widespread use has been slowed by the complications that surround the preparation of their precursors, the harsh generation methods, and the omission of this stratagem from computer databases due to its ephemeral nature.

A general diastereoselective catalytic vinylogous aldol reaction among tetramic acid-derived pyrroles.

A catalytic diastereoselective aldol reaction has been developed for N1-arylated/C2-O-silylated/C3-methylated and brominated/C4-O-methylated pyrroles in its reactions with various aldehydes. Syn adducts emerge with regard to the vicinal nitrogen and oxygen heteroatom substituents. The N1-aryl residue undergoes oxidative cleavage, and the C3-bromine atom undergoes palladium-mediated coupling reactions, both without disturbing the newly created stereocenters.

Diels-Alder construction of regiodifferentiated meta-amino phenols and derivatives.

Synthetic access to regiodifferentiated meta-amino phenols is described. The strategy relies upon distinct deprotonation conditions to afford regioisomeric thermodynamic and kinetic dienes that undergo a tandem Diels-Alder and retro-Diels-Alder sequence with assorted acetylenic dienophiles to afford a range of aromatic products.

Mild construction of 3-methyl tetramic acids enabling a formal synthesis of palau'imide.

A general method to construct 3-methyl-4-O-methylated tetramic acids displaying a C-5 stereocenter is presented. The synthetic sequence employs a SmI(2)-mediated cyclization, whereby the chirality of the emerging tetramic acid core is retained from the starting chiral amino acid. Application to palau'imide is discussed.

Intramolecular condensation via an o-quinone methide: total synthesis of (±)-heliol.

An acid-catalyzed intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of a non-natural bisabolene is reported. The key cyclocondensation was developed to access cyclic sesquiterpenes from linear phenolic precursors by generating a reactive o-quinone methide intermediate to initiate a cascade reaction. The new method was applied to the first total synthesis of (±)-heliol.

A new strategy for detection and development of tractable telomerase inhibitors.

Despite intense academic and industrial efforts and innumerable in vitro and cell studies, no small-molecule telomerase inhibitors have emerged as drugs. Insufficient understanding of enzyme structure and mechanisms of interdiction coupled with the substantial complexities presented by its dimeric composition have stalled all progress toward small-molecule therapeutics. Here we challenge the assumption that human telomerase provides the best platform for inhibitor development by probing a monomeric Tetrahymena telomerase with six tool compounds.

New strategies for natural products containing chroman spiroketals.

Two cycloaddition strategies are described that lead to various chroman spiroketals from assorted exocyclic enol ethers. Unlike conventional thermodynamic ketalization strategies, the stereochemical outcome for this approach is determined by a kinetic cycloaddition reaction. Thus, the stereochemical outcome reflects the olefin geometry of the starting materials along with the orientation of the associated transition state.

Total syntheses of ent-heliespirones A and C.

Stereodivergent total syntheses of ent-heliespirone A and C were both completed in 11 vessels and ∼24% combined overall yield (A + C). These syntheses employed an identical inverse demand Diels-Alder reaction between a surrogate for an extendedly conjugated γ-δ unsaturated ortho-quinone methide and L-lactic-acid-derived exocyclic enol ether. Novel reactions of special note include a diastereoselective reduction of a chroman spiroketal by combination of borontrifluoride etherate and triethyl silane, along with oxidative rupture of a chroman etherial ring into the corresponding p-quinone by argentic oxide (AgO).

Total synthesis and repudiation of the helianane family.

Total syntheses of two structures purported as (+)-heliananes were completed in six pots. Spectral comparisons, between the synthetic and natural compounds, revealed a misassignment of the eight-membered ring in the heliananes. The key step in the syntheses of the proposed structures and the confirmation of their actual structures was a diastereoselective inverse-demand Diels-Alder reaction between an optically active enol ether and an ortho-quinone methide species, which was generated in situ at low temperature by the sequential addition of methylmagnesium bromide and di-tert-butyl dicarbonate to a salicylaldehyde.

A convergent total synthesis of (±)-γ-rubromycin.

An expeditious convergent total synthesis affords (±)-γ-rubromycin (1) in 4.4% overall yield. The longest linear sequence is 12 steps from commercial starting materials.

A strategy for the late-stage divergent syntheses of scyphostatin analogues.

This account details the synthesis of two scyphostatin analogues exhibiting a reactive polar epoxycyclohexenone core and various amide side chains outfitted for late-stage chemical derivatization into the desirable lipophilic tails. Our efforts highlight a key ipso-dearomatization process and provide new insights regarding the incompatibility and orthogonal reactivity of scyphostatin's functional groups. We further showcase the utility of resorcinol derived 2,5-cyclohexadienones as synthetic platforms capable of participating in selective chemical reactivity, and we further demonstrate their potential for rapid elaboration into complex structural motifs.

An oxidative dearomatization-induced [5 + 2] cascade enabling the syntheses of α-cedrene, α-pipitzol, and sec-cedrenol.

Efficient syntheses of α-cedrene (1), α-pipitzol (2), and sec-cedrenol (3) were carried out using a new method, which was inspired by the proposed biosynthesis of the tricyclic skeleton of cedrol (12). The key transformation begins with the oxidative dearomatization of curcuphenol (5a) followed by an intramolecular [5 + 2] cycloaddition of the respective phenoxonium intermediate across the tethered olefin. The benzylic stereocenter effectively guides the formation of the first two stereocenters during the [5 + 2] reaction.

A diastereoselective formal synthesis of berkelic acid.

A formal synthesis of berkelic acid is reported. The strategy employs the combination of a chiral exocyclic enol ether and an achiral isochromanone to afford the chroman spiroketal core via a base-triggered generation and cycloaddition of an o-quinone methide intermediate. Other key steps include equilibration of the spiroketal, intramolecular benzylic oxidation, and lactone addition/hemiketal reduction; all occur with good diastereoselectivity.

Dearomatization applications of I reagents and some unusual reactivity amongst resorcinol derived cyclohexadienones.

The oxidative dearomatization of resorcinol derivatives, which are outfitted with a lactic acid derived chiral tether, and mitigated by hypervalent iodine derivatives of PhIO, affords stable chiral cyclohexadienones as useful building blocks for the construction of many highly functionalized chiral six and seven-membered ring systems. Herein, we report a multitude of remarkable and unexpected diastereoselective transformations stemming from these cyclohexadienone adducts.

Synthesis of 2,2-Disubstituted Pentalenes and Indenes by a Useful Modification to Nakamura's DMCP [3+2]-Cycloaddition Protocol.

A two-pot tactic is presented to reach the oxidized 2,2-dimethyl-substituted pentalene and indene ring systems.

Enantioselective total synthesis of all of the known chiral cleroindicins (C-F): clarification among optical rotations and assignments.

Enantioselective syntheses of all of the named chiral members of the cleroindicin family (C-F) are reported. This effort demonstrates the synthetic utility of a 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde as a starting material for natural product synthesis through the use sequential o-quinone methide chemistry and diastereoselective dearomatization. Natural cleroindicin F was shown to be nearly racemic, and an optically pure synthetic sample of cleroindicin F was found to racemize under slightly basic conditions.

Chemoselective reactions of 3-benzyloxy-1,2-o-quinone with organometallic reagents.

Chemoselective additions of organometallic reagents to 3-benzyloxy-1,2-o-quinone are described. Various nucleophiles are shown to undergo selective 1,2-addition, 1,4-addition, and etherification. Selective 1,2-additions provide stable, nondimerizing o-quinols as a novel alternative to oxidative dearomatization.

A Cycloaddition Strategy for Use toward Berkelic Acid, an MMP Inhibitor and Potent Anticancer Agent Displaying a Unique Chroman Spiroketal Motif.

A kinetically controlled diastereoselective cycloaddition between a chiral enol ether and an ortho-quinone methide (o-QM) produces a chroman spiroketal motif that is found in the core of berkelic acid, a novel matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor and potent anticancer agent. The transformation lays the groundwork for preparation of future inhibitors aimed at distinguishing among the active sites of the twenty-three known MMP. Experimental findings suggest that the stereochemistry that emerges from cycloaddition is opposite that which results from thermodynamic ketalization.

Diastereoselective Synthesis of a Simplified Core of Rishirilide B.

A route enabling the synthesis of the stereo-triad of rishirilide B (1) from 2-hydroxy-3-methylnaphthalene-1,4-dione, is reported. Key transformations include the regioselective 1,2-Grignard addition to a tautomeric mixture of o- and p-quinones, regioselective carbamoylation of a tautomeric mixture, and a synopsis of the methods explored to convert various terminal vinyl ethers into the corresponding carboxylic acid by cleavage.