Enantioselective synthesis of (+)-penostatin E.

The first enantioselective total synthesis of penostatin E has been accomplished. Two highly efficient and diastereoselective reactions, a Hosomi-Sakurai allylation and an intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction, were utilized for the construction of the basic carbon framework of the target molecule as the key steps. A late-stage introduction of the side chain and a successful base-promoted elimination reaction afforded an efficient synthetic route to (+)-penostatin E.

Regiocontrolled construction of furo[3,2-c]pyran-4-one derivatives by palladium-catalyzed cyclization of propargylic carbonates with 4-hydroxy-2-pyrones.

The reaction of propargylic carbonates with 4-hydroxy-2-pyrones in the presence of a palladium catalyst is described. By the choice of the reaction temperature, two types of the substituted furo[3,2-c]pyran-4-one derivatives were regioselectively synthesized, respectively.

Stereocontrolled total synthesis of natural products with characteristic molecular structures and biological activities.

Total synthetic studies on natural products with promising biological profiles, coupled with their intriguing structural features, are described. The target molecules dealt with in this article are five helianane-type sesquiterpenes (heliannuols A, D and K and heliespirones A and C) and three meroterpenes (breviones A, B and C) with allelopathic activity, as well as four cytotoxic polyketides (lasonolide A and aspergillides A, B and C) and two pyrrolidinoindoline alkaloids (physostigmine and psychotrimine) with acetylcholine esterase inhibitory and antibacterial activities.

Synthesis of oxazolidinones by efficient fixation of atmospheric CO2 with propargylic amines by using a silver/1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) Dual-catalyst system.

This'll fix it: efficient fixation of atmospheric CO(2) has been achieved by the reaction of propargylic amines with a silver/DBU dual-catalyst system. Various oxazolidinones were synthesized in moderate to good yields by using substituted propargylic amines.

Total synthesis of debromoflustramines B and E based on the intramolecular carbamoylketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloaddition.

Total synthesis of debromoflustramines B and E has been accomplished by using a platinum-catalyzed addition reaction of o-aminophenylboronic acid with the allene and an intramolecular carbamoylketene-alkene [2 + 2] cycloaddition for the construction of the basic carbon framework of the target alkaloids as the key steps.

Total synthesis of natural enantiomers of heliespirones A and C via the diastereoselective intramolecular Hosomi-Sakurai reaction.

A full account of the development of a novel type of the intramolecular Hosomi-Sakurai reactions of the substrates with a p-benzoquinone and an allylsilane moieties connected by an ether linkage is described. This transformation proceeds via an addition-elimination sequence and provides the products with two stereogenic centers through a 1,3(or 1,4)-asymmetric induction in good to excellent diastereoselectivities. A reasonable mechanistic possibility for the reaction, determination of the stereochemistry for the product, and scope and limitation of the transformation are also discussed. The methodology developed here can successfully be applied to the enantiocontrolled total synthesis of the natural enantiomers of (-)-heliespirone A and (+)-heliespirone C, which have been isolated from sunflower Helianthus annuus L. as allelochemicals.

Enantioselective synthesis of 8-epi-xanthatin and biological evaluation of xanthanolides and their derivatives.

An enantioselective synthesis of 8-epi-xanthatin (9) has been accomplished starting from the bicyclic lactone 3, which has been used for the synthesis of other xanthanolides, sundiversifolide (4) and diversifolide (5), through a synthetic route without the use of a selenium species. Additionally we have evaluated antimicrobial activities of five natural xanthanolides and their derivatives. Although the synthetic xanthanolides did not show any activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), some of the synthetic intermediates did exhibit moderate antimicrobial activities.

Enantiocontrolled total syntheses of breviones A, B, and C.

Enantiocontrolled total syntheses of the breviones A, B, and C have been accomplished using a highly diastereoselective oxidative coupling of an α-pyrone with a tricyclic diene prepared from an optically pure Wieland-Miescher ketone derivative through the 7-endo-trig mode of acyl radical cyclization.

S-15176 and its methylated derivative suppress the CsA-insensitive mitochondrial permeability transition and subsequent cytochrome c release induced by silver ion, and show weak protonophoric activity.

A recent report has described that S-15176 (N-[(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-1-thiophenyl)]-3-propyl-N'-(2,3,4-trimethoxybenzyl) piperazine), an anti-ischemic agent, inhibits the mitochondrial permeability transition (PT) induced by not only Ca(2+) and inorganic phosphate, but also by tert-butylhydroperoxide or phenylarsine oxide [Morin et al. (Biochem Pharmacol 72:911-918, 2006)]. In the present study, we tested the effects of S-15176 on the PT induced by Ag(+), PT of which is not suppressed by cyclosporin A or oligomycin. S-15176 was effective in suppressing the PT and the subsequent cytochrome c release induced by Ag(+), and hence, it was concluded to be a more universal PT inhibitor than cyclosporin A or oligomycin. In addition to the PT-suppression activity, S-15176 also showed weak protonophoric activity. Thus, we further tested to investigate whether the hydroxyl group of S-15176 was involved in its PT-suppression or weak protonophoric activities. The methylated derivative of S-15176 also showed both PT suppression and weak protonophoric activities; hence, the hydroxyl group of S-15176 was concluded not to be involved in these activities.

Synthesis of substituted 1,4,5,6-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]pyrroles by platinum-catalyzed cascade cyclization/ring expansion of 2-alkynyl-1-azaspiro[2.3]hexanes.

The reaction of 2-alkynyl-1-azaspiro[2.3]hexanes with a platinum catalyst is described. 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]pyrroles having a variety of substituents were conveniently synthesized via a cascade cyclization/ring-expansion process.

Antioxidant effects of photodegradation product of nifedipine.

Recently, increasing evidence suggests that the antihypertensive drug nifedipine acts as a protective agent for endothelial cells, and that the activity is unrelated to its calcium channel blocking. Nifedipine is unstable under light and reportedly decomposes to a stable nitrosonifedipine (NO-NIF). NO-NIF has no antihypertensive effect, and it has been recognized as a contaminant of nifedipine. The present study for the first time demonstrated that NO-NIF changed to a NO-NIF radical in a time-dependent manner when it interacted with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal of NO-NIF radicals in HUVECs showed an asymmetric pattern suggesting that the radicals were located in the membrane. The NO-NIF radicals had radical scavenging activity for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, whereas neither NO-NIF nor nifedipine did. In addition, the NO-NIF radical more effectively quenched lipid peroxides than NO-NIF or nifedipine. Furthermore, NO-NIF attenuated the superoxide-derived free radicals in HUVECs stimulated with LY83583, and suppressed iron-nitrilotriacetic acid (Fe-NTA)-induced cytotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Our findings suggest that NO-NIF is a candidate for a new class of antioxidative drugs that protect cells against oxidative stress.

Oxidative carboxylation of arylaldehydes with water by a sulfoxylalkyl-substituted N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst.

The N-Heterocyclic carbene-catalysed oxidative carboxylation of arylaldehydes with water successfully proceeded when a sulfoxylalkyl-substituted imidazolium salt was used as the catalyst. The reactions can be run in the absence of oxidant, and a variety of arylaldehydes having an electron-withdrawing group were converted to the corresponding carboxylic acids.

Total synthesis of (+)- and (-)-sundiversifolide via intramolecular acylation and determination of the absolute configuration.

Intramolecular acylation of an organolithium leads to an efficient stereocontrolled total synthesis of both enantiomers of sundiversifolide. The absolute configuration was determined by HPLC analysis and allelopathy assay. The gamma-lactone moiety resulted from a butenolide was obtained by the condensation of a bicyclic alpha-hydroxyhemiacetal with Ph3P=CMe(CO2R).

Palladium-catalyzed diastereoselective coupling of propargylic oxiranes with terminal alkynes.

[reaction: see text] A diastereoselective coupling of propargylic oxiranes with terminal alkynes has been developed with use of a palladium catalyst. The stereochemistries of the resulting 4-alkynyl-substituted 2,3-allenols have been altered depending on the palladium catalyst. An optically active anti-substituted allene was synthesized from the reaction of an enantiomerically enriched propargylic oxirane without loss of chirality.

Total synthesis of (+)-sundiversifolide.

The first, enantiocontrolled total synthesis of (+)-sundiversifolide has been accomplished using the sequential ring-closing metathesis, [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, and iodolactonization for the key assembly of the cis-fused oxabicyclo[5.3.0]decene framework of the natural product. [structure: see text]

Synthesis of multisubstituted furans, pyrroles, and thiophenes via ynolates.

An efficient synthetic method for the preparation of multisubstituted furans, thiophenes, and pyrroles using ynolates was developed. This novel formal [4 + 1] annulation by C2-C3 and C3-C4 bond formations includes cycloaddition, cyclization, decarboxylation, and dehydration as key steps.

Total synthesis of (+)-lasonolide A.

[structure: see text]. An enantiocontrolled total synthesis of (+)-lasonolide A has been accomplished by using the sequential cross metathesis and macrolactonization for the key assembly of the 20-membered polyene macrolide core of the natural product.

A synthesis of multisubstituted vinylsilanes via ynolates: stereoselective formation of beta-silyl-beta-lactones followed by decarboxylation.

(Z)-Selective synthesis of multisubstituted vinylsilanes was achieved by stereoselective protonation or alkylation of beta-silyl-beta-lactone enolates, prepared by cycloadditions of acylsilanes with ynolates, followed by decarboxylation.