Reaction of acetals with various carbon nucleophiles under non-acidic conditions: C-C bond formation via a pyridinium-type salt.

Mild substitution reactions of acetals with carbon nucleophiles via the pyridinium-type salts generated by the treatment of acetals with TESOTf-2,4,6-collidine or 2,2'-bipyridyl have been developed. Various carbon nucleophiles, such as organocuprates, silyl enol ethers, enamines, etc., reacted with the pyridinium-type salts to give the corresponding substituted products in good yields. The reactions proceeded under very mild conditions (non-acidic conditions) and thus acid-sensitive functional groups can be tolerated during the reaction. In addition, only an acetal can form the pyridinium-type salt and react with nucleophiles in the presence of a ketal. This unusual selectivity is in contrast to general methods conducted under acidic conditions.

Concise asymmetric total synthesis of scyphostatin, a potent inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase.

The concise asymmetric total synthesis of scyphostatin has been achieved by condensation of the optically active cyclohexane unit, prepared from the commercially available 1,4-cyclohexadiene by our own method, and the side chain, prepared by the method developed by Hoye and Tennakoon (T. R. Hoye, M. A. Tennakoon, Org. Lett. 2000, 2, 1481-1483). The modification of the epoxy cyclohexenone unit was achieved in a late stage of the total synthesis, and deprotection of the primary alcohol was conducted in the final step. During the synthesis several key reactions were attained: 1) intramolecular bromoetherification of the cyclohexadiene acetal; 2) stereoselective introduction of the tertiary alcohol, 3) deprotection of the acetal function to the aldehyde by combination with silyl triflate/2,4,6-collidine and the one-pot synthesis of the disilyl aldehyde compounds, with different types of silyl groups, from the dihydroxy acetal compounds; and 4) facile deprotection of the 2,4-dimethoxyphenylmethyl ((2,4)DMPM) protecting group of the primary alcohol.

Organic chemistry using weakly electrophilic salts: efficient formation of O,O-mixed, O,S- and N,O-acetals.

A mild and efficient method for the preparation of O,O-mixed, O,S- and N,O-acetals from symmetrical O,O-acetals has been developed. Thus, the treatment of symmetrical O,O-acetals with TESOTf and 2,4,6-collidine formed weakly electrophilic collidinium salts. The addition of nucleophiles, such as an alcohol, lithium thioxide, and sodium azide, to the salts afforded the corresponding O,O-mixed, O,S- and N,O-acetals in good yields. The reaction proceeded under weakly basic conditions. No overreaction then occurred and many acid-labile functional groups could remain intact.