Metathesis at an Implausible Site: A Formal Total Synthesis of Rhizoxin†D.

The new approach to the anticancer agent rhizoxin D described herein does not cohere with the conventional logic of metathesis, according to which macrocycles are best closed at a disubstituted olefinic site; rather, the trisubstituted C11-C12 alkene flanked by an allylic -OH group served as the pivot point for synthesis. This motif was attained in good yield and excellent selectivity by a sequence of alkyne metathesis, trans-hydrostannation and cross coupling. Because the exact same substructure is prominently featured in numerous other natural products, the underpinning strategy, though unusual, might bear more general relevance.

Concise Total Synthesis of Enigmazole†A.

An efficient entry into the phosphorylated marine macrolide enigmazole A is described. Enigmazole A interferes with c-Kit signaling by an as yet unknown mode of action and is therefore a potential lead in the quest for novel anticancer agents. Key to success is a gold-catalyzed cascade comprising a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of a propargyl acetate along the periphery of a macrocyclic scaffold, followed by a transannular hydroalkoxylation of the resulting transient allenyl acetate. This transformation mandated the use of a chiral gold catalyst to ensure a matching double-asymmetric setting. Other noteworthy steps are the preparation of the oxazole building block by a palladium-catalyzed C-H activation, as well as the smooth ring-closing alkyne metathesis of a diyne substrate bearing a propargylic leaving group, which has only little precedent.