Efficient Total Synthesis of Bongkrekic Acid and Apoptosis Inhibitory Activity of Its Analogues.

Bongkrekic acid (BKA), isolated from the bacterium Burkholderia cocovenenans, is an inhibitor of adenine nucleotide translocator, which inhibits apoptosis, and is thus an important tool for the mechanistic investigation of apoptosis. An efficient total synthesis of BKA has been achieved by employing a three-component convergent strategy based on Kocienski-Julia olefination and Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. It is noteworthy that segment B has been prepared as a new doubly functionalized coupling partner, which contributes to shortening of the number of steps. Torquoselective olefination with an ynolate has also been applied for the efficient construction of an unsaturated ester. Furthermore, it is revealed that 1-methyl-2-azaadamantane N-oxyl is an excellent reagent for final oxidation to afford BKA in high yield. Based on the total synthesis, several BKA analogues were prepared for structure-activity relationship studies, which indicated that the carboxylic acid moieties were essential for the apoptosis inhibitory activity of BKA. More easily available BKA analogues with potent apoptosis inhibitory activity were also developed.

Regiocontrolled benzannulation of diaryl(gem-dichlorocyclopropyl)methanols for the synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted alpha-arylnaphthalenes: application to total synthesis of natural lignan lactones.

[reaction: see text] An efficient synthesis of highly substituted alpha-arylnaphthalene analogues has been developed utilizing Lewis acid-promoted regiocontrolled benzannulation of aryl(aryl')-2,2-dichlorocyclopropylmethanols (aryl not equal aryl'; abbreviated as AACMs). Both AACM diastereomers were easily prepared via highly stereoselective addition (>95/5) of ArLi to gem-dichlorocyclopropropyl aryl' ketones. The choice of Lewis acids determined the cyclization regioselectivity of the present benzannulation. TiCl4 and SnCl4 used the chelation pathway, whereas silyl triflates used a nonchelation pathway to give unsymmetrically substituted regioisomeric alpha-arylnaphthalenes in 40-91% yields with moderate to excellent regioselectivity (TiCl4 or SnCl4; >99/1-3/1, TBDMSOTf; >1/99-1/4). Thus, the alpha-aryl or alpha-aryl' moiety (accessory aryl group) was alternatively introduced to alpha-arylnaphthalenes by choosing either the order of the reaction sequences or the appropriate catalyst. Application of the present method to the total synthesis for unsymmetrically substituted natural lignan lactones, justicidin B, retrojusticidin B, dehydrodesoxypodophyllotoxin, and a related analogue, 5'-methoxyretrochinensin, was demonstrated. Lignan retrolactones (retrojusticidin B and 5'-methoxyretrochinensin) were synthesized by the conventional lactonization of the diol precursor, whereas a novel Bu2SnO-mediated monoacylation method was applied to the synthesis of normal lignan lactones (justicidin B and dehydrodesoxypodophyllotoxin).