Total Synthesis of the Euphorbia Diterpenoid Pepluacetal.

The first total synthesis of the Euphorbia diterpenoid pepluacetal is disclosed in both racemic and chiral fashions. The synthesis strategically relies on a photo-induced Wolff rearrangement/lactonization cascade (WRLC) reaction to access the cyclobutane moiety, a ring-closing metathesis/cyclopropanation sequence to rapidly forge the 7-3 bicyclic system, and a late-stage Rh-catalyzed transannular carbenoid insertion to C(sp3)-H bond followed by a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and ring-opening manipulations to install the side chain. The synthetic route demonstrates excellent stereochemical control on the non-classical concave-face bond formation, remote traceless stereochemical relay and high scalability to provide 20 mg of (+)-pepluacetal.

Synthesis of the 5-6-7 Tricyclic Core of Daphnicyclidin-Type Alkaloids via a Tiffeneau-Demjanov Ring Enlargement Strategy.

An expedient construction of the 5-6-7 tricyclic core of daphnicyclidin-type alkaloids is described. The synthetically challenging cycloheptanone C ring was constructed via a Tiffeneau-Demjanov ring enlargement reaction from a 5-6-6 tricyclic precursor commonly found in calyciphylline A-type alkaloids. Other key transformations included Davis oxidation, 1,2-addition, oxidation, and dehydration to elaborate the essential cyclcohept-2-enone motif.

Rapid construction of indole-fused 8-10 membered lactones via a tandem reaction.

An intramolecular anaerobic Mukaiyama hydration-initiated tandem reduction/condensation/acyl migration/aromatization reaction was developed, which enabled the rapid construction of indole-fused 8-10 membered lactones starting from cyclic 2-allyl-2-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,3-diketones. A nitro substituent in the substrates acted as both an oxygen source in the Mukaiyama hydration step and a nitrogen source in a tandem indole ring construction step. Our reaction features mild conditions, atom economy, and inexpensive reagents and it can be conveniently scaled up to a gram scale in modest yields. A rational reaction mechanism was also proposed based on previous reports and control experiments.

Collective Total Syntheses of Five Lycopodium Alkaloids.

It is reported herein that by exploiting the commonly shared bicyclic decahydroquinoline motif, a gold-catalyzed enamide-alkyne cycloisomerization reaction is developed to access tricyclic cores in a simple way. These tricyclic cores further serve as an advanced platform for the divergent enantioselective collective total syntheses of five Lycopodium alkaloids, belonging to three different structural types, in a concise and protecting-group-free fashion. The key transformations in the second phase include: 1) a transannular reductive Heck cyclization for installation of the azepane ring in fawcettidine, fawcettimine, and lycoposerramine Q; 2) a domino Mukaiyama hydration/Grob fragmentation process for construction of the ten-membered lactam system in phlegmariurine B; 3) a Fukuyama one-pot protocol for the construction of the 2-pyridone motif in lycoposerramine R. The newly developed strategy is expected to pave the way for the synthesis of other structurally related Lycopodium alkaloids.

Enantioselective α-Functionalization of 1,3-Dithianes by Iridium-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution.

An iridium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reaction with 2-alkoxy carbonyl-1,3-dithianes has been achieved with high regio- and enantioselectivities. The transformation provides a new method for the enantioselective α-functionalization of dithianes. The corresponding dithiane-containing products are easily converted into many other derivatives with high yields and enantioselectivities.

A Strategy to Construct cis-Hydrocarbazole via Nickel/Lewis Acid Dual-Catalyzed Arylcyanation.

A strategy for the synthesis of cis-hydrocarbazole with a C3 quaternary carbon center has been developed through nickel/Lewis acid dual-catalyzed arylcyanation. A wide array of cis-hydrocarbazoles was accessed with high diastereoselectivities and atom economies in a good yield. The rich chemistry of the installed nitrile group was demonstrated in the preparation of tryptamine- and tryptophol-derived cis-hydrocarbazoles.

Visible light photoredox catalyzed deprotection of 1,3-oxathiolanes.

An efficient visible light photoredox catalyzed aerobic deprotection of 1,3-oxathiolanes using organic dye Eosin Y as a photocatalyst is disclosed. The deprotection procedure features the use of a metal-free catalyst, mild conditions, a broad range of substrate scope, and good functional group tolerance. 35 examples were tested under the standard conditions and most of them afforded the deprotected products in modest to high yields.

Total Synthesis of (-)-Pepluanol†B: Conformational Control of the Eight-Membered-Ring System.

The first total synthesis of the Euphorbia diterpenoid pepluanol B in both racemic and enantioenriched form involves 20 steps from a known bicyclic diol. This synthesis features an unprecedented bromo-epoxidation to control the eight-membered-ring conformation. In addition, salient reactions for the construction of the tetracyclic backbone include a sterically challenging aldol reaction to establish the quaternary center, a ring closing metathesis (RCM) to forge the eight-membered ring, and a diastereoselective cyclopropanation to assemble the embedded cyclopropane motif.

Total Synthesis of Aspidofractinine Alkaloid Paucidirinine.

The first total synthesis of paucidirinine (1d), a highly congested aspidofractinine alkaloid containing a special contracted five-membered lactam ring, was achieved in 10 steps with 8% overall yield from commercially available materials. Several key maneuvers, including tandem enamination/[4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction and SmI2-promoted radical cyclization, were featured in this potentially scalable strategy.

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of (+)-Winchinine B.

The first asymmetric total synthesis of aspidosperma alkaloid (+)-winchinine B was achieved in 12 steps from commercially available materials. A new synthetic strategy which features an efficient aza-Michael addition, a ruthenium-catalyzed transfer dehydrogenation, and an intramolecular palladium-catalyzed oxidative coupling was adopted to install the ABC tricycle system. A one-pot process involving carbonyl reduction/iminium formation/intramolecular conjugate addition developed by our group was utilized to construct the D ring moiety.

A rapid construction of the ABC tricyclic skeleton of malabanone A.

The construction of the ABC tricyclic skeleton of malabanone A with the required 4 stereocenters was accomplished in a concise route starting from R-carvone. The synthesis featured an intramolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction to assemble its A ring and an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction to construct its C ring.

Visible-light-mediated radical cascade reaction: synthesis of 3-bromocoumarins from alkynoates.

A visible-light-mediated radical addition of alkynoates to generate 3-bromocoumarins by using N-bromosuccinimide as the bromo source has been accomplished. This procedure provides a bromo radical addition/spirocyclization/ester migration cascade reaction under very mild reaction conditions without using any catalyst or strong oxidant and does not need high reaction temperature. Furthermore, the reaction can also be enlarged to the gram scale, and the product 3-bromocoumarins can be further applied in the synthesis of complex compounds.

Thermal 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of azomethine imines with active esters.

An efficient method for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine imines with active esters under thermal conditions has been described in good to high yields. This method offers a straightforward pathway to synthesize bioactive pyrazolidinones.

Di-tert-butyl peroxide-mediated atom-transfer radical addition of 2-chlorodithiane to aryl alkynes under mild conditions.

Atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) of 2-chlorodithiane onto aryl alkynes through the use of di-tert-butyl peroxide as an oxidant at room temperature directly affords a variety of synthetically valuable ß-chloro-(Z)-vinyl dithianes in good yields with high regioselectivities and without the assistance of any transition metals. It provides an operationally simple pathway to access vinyl dithianes with controlled formation of a new C(sp(2) )C bond and a C(sp(2) )Cl bond.

Metal-Free Difunctionalization of Alkynes with 2-Chlorodithiane for Synthesis of ß-Ketodithianes.

Dithianes are versatile umpolung intermediates in organic synthesis but have rarely been employed in radical cross-coupling reactions. Here we describe the oxidative coupling method for alkyne difunctionalization under metal-catalyst-free conditions. The efficient protocol directly affords a variety of ß-ketodithianes in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivities. It provides a general pathway for accessing valuable dithianes with controlled formation of a new C-C bond and a C-O bond via a radical coupling pathway.

Concise total synthesis of (±)-aspidospermidine.

(±)-Aspidospermidine (1) has been synthesized from the commercially available 2,3-dihydro-1H-carbazol-4(9H)-one 6 in 10 steps with 20% overall yield. The key step of the strategy is a one-pot carbonyl reduction/iminium formation/intramolecular conjugate addition reaction that may be applied for the synthesis of other Aspidosperma alkaloids.

Gold-catalyzed 1,2-acyloxy migration/intramolecular [3+2] 1,3-dipolar cycloaddtion cascade reaction: an efficient strategy for syntheses of medium-sized-ring ethers and amines.

A highly efficient strategy for the formation of medium-sized-ring ethers and amines based on a gold-catalyzed cascade reaction, involving enynyl ester isomerization and intramolecular [3+2] cyclization, has been developed. Various multisubstituted medium-sized-ring unsaturated ethers and amines were obtained through this transformation. This method represents one of the relatively few transition metal catalyzed intramolecular cycloaddition reactions for medium-sized ring synthesis.

Total Syntheses of (±)-Acetoxymarsupellone and (±)-Marsupellins A, B, and D Enabled by a Reductive Cyclization and Semipinacol Rearrangement Strategy.

We report herein the total syntheses of three marsupellin-family sesquiterpenoids, (±)-acetoxymarsupellone and (±)-marsupellins B and D, in 14-19 steps from our known precursor, making marsupellin A also accessible from marsupellin B through a known procedure. The critical tricyclic framework bearing the challenging C7 bridgehead all-carbon quaternary center is strategically constructed through a Ti-mediated reductive cyclization and semipinacol rearrangement sequence. This study provides a general approach to the syntheses of (ent-)longipinane-type molecules.

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed/Lewis acid mediated conjugate umpolung of alkynyl aldehydes for the synthesis of butenolides: a formal [3+2] annulation.

Reverse to success! A new formal [3+2] annulation reaction combining alkynyl aldehydes and ß,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters has been disclosed by using a NHC-catalyzed/Lewis acid mediated strategy. This cooperative catalysis strategy first allows the "allenolate" intermediate as a nucleophilic synthon at the ß-position to react with activated electrophilic reagents by an addition reaction as the key C-C bond-forming step.

Asymmetric total synthesis of fusarentin 6-methyl ether and its biomimetic transformation into fusarentin 6,7-dimethyl ether, 7-O-demethylmonocerin, and (+)-monocerin.

A concise asymmetric total synthesis of a fusarentin ether (1) with sequential biomimetic transformation to its analogues fusarentin 6,7-dimethyl ether (2), 7-O-demethylmonocerin (3), and (+)-monocerin (4) has been accomplished. The cis-fused furobenzopyranones of 7-O-demethylmonocerin (3) and (+)-monocerin (4) were efficiently constructed via an intramolecular nucleophilic trapping of a quinonemethide intermediate, which was obtained by benzylic oxidation of fusarentin 6-methyl ether (1) using hypervalent iodine reagent.