Contrasting responses of pyrido[2,1-a]isoindol-6-ones and their sultam counterparts to photochemical activation.

A ring-closing metathesis-based strategy has allowed access to an unreported pair of pyridoisoindolones and their previously unknown sultam counterparts. The synthetic routing takes advantage of the ready availability of N-allylphthalimide and N-allylsaccharin and proceeds via the proper incorporation of small side chains into the heterocyclic ring. Positionally selective introduction of the conjugated diene functionality was realized efficiently. Detailed study of the excited-state chemistry of 7 and 8 showed both lactams to be subject to [4 + 2] dimerization under acetone-sensitized conditions. Different regioselectivities are involved, with the response of 8 being far more efficient than that exhibited by 7. No dimers could be isolated from the photolyzates of 9 and 10 under any conditions. While the latter sultam undergoes extensive polymerization, 9 is transformed via direct irradiation at 350 nm into 46 and 47 via [1,3]-sigmatropy involving the S-N bond and heterocyclic ring cleavage, respectively.

Effect of sulfonyl protecting groups on the neighboring group participation ability of sulfonamido nitrogen.

The addition of elemental bromine dissolved in CH(2)Cl(2) to para-disubstituted benzodiazocines where X is the same (H, CH(3), Br, OMe, NO(2)) or a different substituent as X and Y (CH(3), Br; OMe, NO(2)) has been found to proceed in most cases with competition between two pathways. While conventional trans-1,2-addition operates predominantly, electron-releasing groups also foster a ring-contraction process with ultimate 1,3-positioning of the pair of bromine atoms. The observed regio- and stereoselectivities, confirmed where necessary by X-ray crystallographic analysis, establish the capability of sulfonamide nitrogen centers to engage in neighboring group participation.

From D-glucose to enantiomerically pure cycloctanoses. The glycosidase inhibitory capacity of medium-ring carbasugars.

Exhaustive dihydroxylation of the pair of cyclooctadienols consisting of 4 and 5, which are available in enantiomerically pure form from d-glucose, resulted in the formation of two diastereomeric tetraols in each case. The difference in polarity of the 6/7 and 8/9 pairs facilitated their chromatographic separation. Ensuing acetylation and PMB deprotection allowed for the assignment of relative (and ultimately absolute) stereochemistry to the resulting monohydric alcohols on the basis of J(HH) analysis of their (1)H NMR spectra. The highly functionalized exomethylenecyclooctanes 14-17, which were derived by periodinane oxidation and Wittig olefination, were further elaborated by hydroboration and global deprotection. The eight members of the cyclooctanose family of carbasugars and their precursor intermediates consistently showed patterns of J(HH) values in line with the contiguous stereochemical relationships. Also assayed was their specific inhibitory behavior toward glycosidases.

Enolization regioselectivity involving stereoisomeric 4a-methyl-5-methoxyperhydrobenzo[7]annulen-2-ones.

Efficient synthetic routes to the four isomers 17b-20b of the title ketone are described. Entry begins from the Wieland-Miescher homologue 3 whose pair of carbonyl groups are amenable to regiochemical manipulation. The compositions of the reaction mixtures generated under kinetic or thermodynamic control were defined by (1)H NMR analysis subsequent to chromatographic purification. The regiochemical trends are correlated with B3LYP/6-31G* calculations, the results of which conform to the preferred introduction of a 1,2- or 2,3-double bond.

Studies directed toward the total synthesis of lancifodilactone G: an expeditious route to the ABC subunit.

An efficient entry to the ABC network of lancifodilactone G is outlined. The C ring is constructed by way of enyne ring-closing metathesis. The AB component is established via a base-mediated biomimetic oxy-Michael addition--lactonization sequence.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of the sterically encumbered F ring of lancifodilactone G.

A stereochemically linear strategy has been developed to prepare the heavily congested F-ring sector of lancifodilactone G (1) from commercially inexpensive (R)-carvone. Prominent operations in our synthesis include Negishi-type sp2-sp3 cross-coupling and intramolecular free-radical cyclization for the purpose of appending the sidearm links of the D and H rings onto the F platform.

Contiguously substituted cyclooctane polyols. configurational assignments via (1)H NMR correlations and symmetry considerations.

More advanced oxidation of the cyclooctadienol shown, readily available in enantiomerically pure form from D-glucose, has given rise to a series of intermediates whose relative (and ultimately absolute) configuration was assigned on the basis of (1)H/(1)H coupling constant analysis. The selectivities that were deduced in this manner were drawn from the sequential application of CrO3 oxidation in tandem with Luche reduction, two-step NMO-promoted osmylations bracketed by acetonide formation, and wholesale deprotection. The stereoselectivities of these reactions were traced by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and the stereochemical assignments were confirmed by the presence or absence of symmetry in the final cyclooctane polyols (four shown) generated in this investigation.

Neighboring group participation by sulfonamido nitrogen.

The ability of sulfonamido nitrogen to enter into neighboring group participation was established in two different reaction settings. The first was uncovered during the bromination of benzodiazocine 8 in dichloromethane at 0 degrees C, and the second during the base treatment of 15a en route to allene 18.

7-Bromo-4b-methyl-7,8-dihydro-4bH-9-thia-8a-aza-fluorene 9,9-dioxide.

The title compound, C(12)H(12)BrNO(2)S, was isolated after direct irradiation (hν 350 nm, hexa-ne) of a mixture of stereoisomeric sulfonamides containing a vicinal dibromide and a conjugated diene. This product is one of a group of substrates that has contributed to our understanding of the photoreactivity patterns of non-bridged sulfonamides. The crystal structure was determined from a non-merohedrally twinned data set, where the twin law corresponded to a 180° rotation about the a* axis. The minor twin component refined to a value of 0.176 (3). The conformation of the mol-ecule is planar at one end, as the benzene ring and the adjacent fused five-membered ring are coplanar, and U-shaped at the other end, where the five-membered ring is fused to the heterocyclic six-membered ring containing an allyl bromide group.

Development of an access route to the c31-c52 central core of amphidinol 3.

[reaction: see text] An asymmetric synthesis of the heavily oxygenated inner sector of amphidinol 3 constituted of C31-C52 is described. The successful pathway highlights construction of the pair of identical tetrahydropyran subunits from a common intermediate.

A modular approach to marine macrolide construction. 4. Assembly of C36-C51 and C29-C44 building blocks and evaluation of key coupling reactions targeting spongistatin 1 (altohyrtin A).

Routes have been developed for the stereocontrolled elaboration of two highly functionalized sectors of spongistatin 1. The approach to ring F takes advantage of B-alkyl Suzuki-Miyaura coupling to install the C44-C45 bond. The E-ring pyran moiety was generated by acylation of an alpha-sulfonyl carbanion, the stereogenic centers of which were incorporated by sequential asymmetric aldol reactions. [structure: see text].

(+)-(1S,5R,10S)-11,11-Dimeth-yl-4-oxa-tricyclo-[8.4.0.0]tetra-deca-ne-3,12-dione.

The title compound, C(15)H(22)O(3), was prepared via amino-acid-promoted Robinson annulation followed by tandem Pd/C-mediated hydrogenation and oxidative cyclization. This product was instrumental in determining the feasibility of a stereocontrolled hydrogenation in which the directing hydroxyl group is adjacent to the 6-7-ring network and its olefinic component. The asymmetric unit consists of a single mol-ecule with normal geometric parameters. The absolute configuration was assigned based on the known enanti-omeric prescursor. Inter-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions link each mol-ecule with four neighboring mol-ecules.

Practical designed syntheses of all stereoisomeric bis(2,2')- and tris(2,2',2' ')-tetrahydrofurans.

A convenient synthetic entry to the entire group of bis(2,2')- and tris(2,2',2' ')-tetrahydrofurans has been developed. The method is concise and relies on chromatographic separation, decarbonylation, and annulation to arrive at a specific product of defined relative configuration. [reaction: see text]

Alkali metal counterion control of enolate protonation stereoselectivity.

[reaction: see text] Generation of the lithium salt of the norbornenol shown (M = H) followed by quenching with aqueous NH(4)Cl solution gives predominantly the beta-epimeric ketone 6. Similar production of the potassium alkoxide leads instead to the alpha-epimer (99:1). These results reveal the potential importance of alkali metal counterions as stereocontrol elements.

In pursuit of pestalotiopsin a via zirconocene-mediated ring contraction.

[reaction: see text] An asymmetric route from the epimeric beta-hydroxy esters 4 and 5 to the densely functionalized (+)-10 and (-)-10, respectively, is described. Either cyclobutanol can be made available as the predominant product. The levorotatory antipode has been transformed into the advanced intermediate 21 bearing side chains destined to become incorporated into the cyclononene ring of the title compound (1).

Enantioselective route from carbohydrates to cyclooctane polyols.

[reaction: see text] A synthetic route to select cyclooctane-1,2,3-triols and 1,2,3,4,5-pentaols has been defined. The starting materials are d-glucose or d-arabinose, and the key steps consist of a zirconocene-promoted ring contraction, a [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement, and more extended functionalization of the resulting cyclooctadienone.

The polyol domain of amphidinol 3. A stereoselective synthesis of the entire C(1)-C(30) sector.

[structure: see text] The richly oxygenated C(1)-C(30) polyol segment of amphidinol 3 has been synthesized in protected form. Incorporated in this long chain are 10 of the 25 stereogenic centers housed in the target. The asymmetric pathway that has been developed is based on the efficient union of three independently prepared subunits.

Promoter-dependent course of the Beckmann rearrangement of stereoisomeric spiro[4.4]nonane-1,6-dione monoximes.

Activation of the Beckmann rearrangement of the enantiopure spirocyclic keto oximes (-)-9 and (-)-12 has been initiated with four acidic promoters. In two cases (PPE and PPSE), concerted 1,2 shift of the anti carbon operates exclusively. This is not the case with PPA or Eaton's reagent, although optical activity is fully maintained in these ring expansions as well.

Oxidative cleavage of p-methoxybenzyl ethers with methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane.

[reaction: see text] The ability of methyl(trifluoromethyl)dioxirane to cleave p-methoxylbenzyl ethers oxidatively in the presence of various additional functional groups has been investigated. These reactions, performed in aqueous acetonitrile, transform a reasonably robust aryl substituent into a dienyl aldehydo ester. The originally generated E,Z-isomer undergoes slow conversion to the more stable E,E-form at 20 degrees C.

Pectenotoxin-2 synthetic studies. 2. Construction and conjoining of ABC and DE Eastern hemisphere subtargets.

[reaction: see text] Practical asymmetric synthesis of aldehyde 2 and tetrazolyl sulfone 3 has allowed for their coupling via Julia olefination to generate 32 as a single product. This substance possesses the entire carbon backbone of the A-E substructure of pectenotoxin-2.