Synthetic Approach toward Diverse Oxa-Cages via Olefin Metathesis.

This article demonstrates a late-stage modification of the cage propellanes that are transformed into intricate oxa-cycles via ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM) and regioselective ring-closing metathesis (RCM) as crucial steps. In addition, we also report the extended pentacycloundecane (PCUD)-based oxa-cages involving the domino cycloetherification followed by olefin metathesis. These oxa-cages involve a domino sequence in which the PCUD core unit remains intact. [Ru]-based Grubbs catalysts are used to execute the metathesis step to assemble these higher-order oxa-cage systems. Spectroscopic data assigned structures of various products and were further supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The synthetic approach to these cage polycycles involves high complexity generating processes such as Diels-Alder reaction, [2 + 2] photocycloaddition, and RRM as well as RCM.

Molecular Acrobatics in Polycyclic Frames: Synthesis of "Kurmanediol" via Post-synthetic Modification of Cage Molecules by Olefinic Metathesis.

We report late-stage ring-opening metathesis (ROM), ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM), and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) approaches to generate expanded pentacycloundecane (PCUD) cage derivatives. These higher-order intricate polycyclic cage systems are aesthetically pleasing and structurally intriguing. Their assembly maintains molecular symmetry during the entire synthetic sequence. To this end, metathesis-based catalysts are used to execute the ROM, RRM, and RCM strategies. The synthetic approach to these cage polycycles involves the Diels-Alder reaction, [2 + 2] photocycloaddition, RRM, ROM, and RCM as key steps.

A Modular Approach to Angularly Fused Polyquinanes via Ring-Rearrangement Metathesis: Synthetic Access to Cameroonanol Analogues and the Basic Core of Subergorgic Acid and Crinipellin.

We describe a modular approach to angularly fused polyquinanes that are core units of many natural products such as cameroonanol, subergorgic acid, and crinepellin, etc. in excellent yields by employing atom-economic ring-rearrangement metathesis as a key step. Our work highlights, the synthesis of cameroonanol analogues 1-6 and their ester derivatives by using the stereoselective reduction of the carbonyl group by using DIBAL-H- and DCC-mediated coupling as the key reactions. The subergorgic acid core 7 was produced by LDA-mediated kinetically controlled regio- and stereoselective ring-junction allylation as a critical step. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the present strategy relies on a less explored exo-dicyclopentadiene-1-one (8) and produces highly congested polycyclic frameworks containing up to seven contiguous stereogenic centers including quaternary carbons up to two. All of the new molecules were characterized by NMR data. The structure and relative stereochemistry of some compounds were confirmed by chemical methods and further supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The newly reported tri- and tetraquinane skeletons are present in many naturally occurring bioactive polyquinanes. Hence, this strategy is useful for designing various "druglike molecules" and expands the chemical space of cyclopentanoids that are useful in medicinal chemistry.

Synthetic Strategies to Diverse Polyquinanes via Olefin Metathesis: Access to the Basic Core of Crinipellin, Presilphiperfolanol, and Cucumin.

A rapid and useful synthetic approach to various polyquinane-based natural products was accomplished efficiently by employing ring-rearrangement metathesis and ring-closing metathesis as key steps. Here, we report the synthesis of stereochemically well-defined cis-anti-cis triquinanes (1, 2), tetraquinanes (3, 4), a novel pentaquinane 5, and fused [5-5-5-6] tetracyclic systems (6, 7) that are present in crinipellin, presilphiperfolanol, cucumin, etc. Hence, the current strategy may be suitable for the synthesis of various complex natural and unnatural cyclopentanoid targets. Moreover, our approach to the newly synthesized pentaquinane 5 has paved the way for various complex polyquinanes/molecules having significant applications in theoretical and medicinal chemistry.

A new skeletal rearrangement of 1,7-dimethyl Cookson's cage dione catalyzed by a Lewis acid.

A methyl-substituted polycyclic cage dione containing the PCUD framework has undergone an unprecedented ring rearrangement approach. Here, the PCUD framework with the aid of a Lewis acid such as BF3·MeOH gave unusual fragmentation products. Two new products were isolated via the skeletal rearrangement process involving carbocation mediated intermediates. The substituents in the succinyl bond present in the strained PCUD skeleton produce a driving force for the rearrangement in an unprecedented manner. Interestingly, the cyclobutane ring was transformed to cyclopentane through the cleavage of the C1-C7 bond during the ring-expansion process of PCUD via the carbocation intermediates. Unexpectedly, solvent (benzene) was captured during the ring-homologation process due to the presence of methyl substituents placed at the cyclobutane ring of the cage framework. It appears that this is the first report where an unexpected ring-rearrangement, ring-homologation, and ring-fragmentation occur with the aid of the BF3·MeOH complex.

Development of New Synthetic Strategies, Tactics and their Applications.

This account covers our work related to the development of various synthetic methodologies since 1994. We summarized our strategies and their application to design various functional molecules. In this regard, we also report the utility of our methodologies in others research work. These methods we report here are simple and efficient for the synthesis of a wide variety of intricate molecules such as heterocycles, polycycles, unusual α-amino acids, star-shaped molecules, and modified peptides. For this purpose, we used various transition metal-based reagents and catalysts. Various popular reactions such as metathesis, Suzuki coupling, [2+2+2] cyclotrimerization were used to assemble these targets. Moreover, rongalite has been used to expand the Diels-Alder chemistry.

Synthesis of C 3-symmetric star-shaped molecules containing α-amino acids and dipeptides via Negishi coupling as a key step.

We demonstrate a new synthetic strategy toward star-shaped C 3-symmetric molecules containing α-amino acid (AAA) derivatives and dipeptides. In this regard, trimerization and Negishi cross-coupling reactions are used as the key steps starting from readily available 4'-iodoacetophenone and L-serine. These C 3-symmetric molecules containing AAA moieties are useful to design new ligands suitable for asymmetric synthesis and peptide dendrimers.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of spirothiazolidinediones and their biological evaluation.

We report a new synthetic approach to assemble spirothiazolidinediones via a [2 + 2 + 2] cyclotrimerization reaction and the derivatives were further functionalized through DA chemistry and click reaction. Using flow cytometry, it was shown for the first time that the new benzyl alcohol derivatives of thiazolidine-2,4-dione generated here are efficient apoptosis inducers in the HeLa, Hek293, U937, Jurkat, and K562 cell lines.

Design and Synthesis of Polycycles, Heterocycles, and Macrocycles via Strategic Utilization of Ring-Closing Metathesis.

In this perspective, we summarize new synthetic approaches for the construction of various polycyclic compounds involving ring-closing metathesis as a key step. In this regard, we used ring-closing metathesis in combination with other popular reactions like Suzuki-Miyaura coupling, Claisen rearrangement, Fischer indolization, Grignard addition, Diels-Alder reaction, and [2+2] cycloaddition reaction etc. To this end, a variety of functional molecules such as α-amino acids, cyclophanes, heterocycles, propellanes, spirocycles, and macrocycles have been prepared. The strategies developed and the molecules prepared here play a key role in designing new materials and also act as lead compounds in drug design. The strategies and tactics developed here are useful to design polycycles, macrocycles, and heterocycles of diverse ring systems.

Molecular Acrobatics in Polycyclic Frames: Synthesis of Functionalized D3-Trishomocubanes via the Rearrangement Approach.

A new synthetic route to D3-trishomocubanone and oxa- D3-trishomocubane derivatives has been established by the rearrangement approach. A remotely located methyl substituent in the six-membered ring contributed to the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the cage dione in an unusual fashion. This rearrangement approach provided an attractive route to extended D3-trishomocubanes, which are not accessible by the conventional multistep synthetic sequence. For the first time, two phenyl groups were incorporated from the solvent into the strained trishomocubane skeleton in an unprecedented manner via carbocation-mediated rearrangement with the aid of BF3·OEt2. Interestingly, an oxa-bridged trishomocubane skeleton was also formed during acid-promoted rearrangement.

Synergistic approach to polycycles through Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling and metathesis as key steps.

This account provides an overview of recent work, including our own contribution dealing with Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling in combination with metathesis (or vice-versa). Several cyclophanes, polycycles, macrocycles, spirocycles, stilbenes, biaryls, and heterocycles have been synthesized by employing a combination of Suzuki cross-coupling and metathesis. Various popular reactions such as Diels-Alder reaction, Claisen rearrangement, cross-metathesis, and cross-enyne metathesis are used. The synergistic combination of these powerful reactions is found to be useful for the construction of complex targets and fulfill synthetic brevity.

Design and synthesis of C 3-symmetric molecules bearing propellane moieties via cyclotrimerization and a ring-closing metathesis sequence.

We have developed an efficient synthetic strategy to assemble C 3-symmetric molecules containing propellane moieties as end groups and a benzene ring as a central core. The synthesis of these C 3-symmetric molecules involves simple starting materials. Our approach to C 3-symmetric compounds relies on a Diels-Alder reaction, cyclotrimerization and ring-closing metathesis as key steps.

Application of Fischer Indolization under Green Conditions using Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Indole and its derivatives captured the attention of organic chemists due to their applications in medicinal chemistry. The examples covered here are intricate polycyclic indole derivatives and these include: azapolyquinanes, cyclophanes, spirocycles and other heterocycles. We found that deep eutectic mixture such as L-(+)-tartaric acid (TA) and dimethyl urea (DMU) is useful to prepare complex unnatural indole derivatives. These conditions from time to time produced indole derivatives which are not possible by conventional methods. Various substrates containing multiple carbonyl groups were shown to undergo Fischer indolization (FI) in deep eutectic mixtures and thus expand its scope to a higher level.

Synthesis of Intricate Fused N-Heterocycles via Ring-Rearrangement Metathesis.

Herein, a facile synthesis of intricate fused N-heterocycles is disclosed by employing C-H activation and ring-rearrangement metathesis/enyne ring-rearrangement metathesis as key steps. Interestingly, some of these N-heterocyclic products possess the tricyclic core of epimeloscine, deoxycalyciphylline B, daphlongamine H, isodaphlongamine H, and a bioactive alkaloid, annotinolide A, which shows antiaggregation activity against amyloid-ß (Aß)1-42 peptide aggregation. Moreover, various starting materials required in this protocol are easily assembled via C-X bond annulation of 2-bromo-N-protected aniline with norbornadiene or directing group-assisted ruthenium-catalyzed C-H activation of N-methoxybenzamide.

A diversity-oriented approach to indolocarbazoles via Fischer indolization and olefin metathesis: total synthesis of tjipanazole D and I.

New synthetic strategies to indolocarbazoles have been reported via two-fold Fischer indolization under green conditions using l-(+)-tartaric acid and N,N-dimethyl urea. Starting with cyclohexanone, a bench-top starting material, this methodology has been extended to the total synthesis of natural products such as tjipanazoles D and I as well as the core structure of asteropusazole and racemosin B. Here, atom economical reactions like ring-closing metathesis, enyne-metathesis, and the Diels-Alder reaction have been used as key steps. Diverse strategies demonstrated here are useful in medicinal chemistry and materials science to design a library of decorated indoles.

Bridgehead vicinal diallylation of norbornene derivatives and extension to propellane derivatives via ring-closing metathesis.

Here, we report a simple synthetic strategy to the bridgehead vicinal diallylation of norbornene derivatives. These substrates are useful to generate propellanes via ring-closing metathesis. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of four compounds led to the realization of configurational correction of earlier reported molecules.

Diversity-Oriented Approach to Cyclophanes via Fischer Indolization and Ring-Closing Metathesis: Substrate-Controlled Stereochemical Outcome in RCM.

Here, we report a new and diversity-oriented approach to macrocyclic cyclophanes by a Grignard reaction, followed by Fischer indolization and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) as key steps. The configuration of the double bond formed during the RCM depends upon the order of synthetic sequence used. Fischer indolization followed by RCM delivers the cis isomer, whereas RCM followed by Fischer indolization gives the trans isomer.

Design and synthesis of fused polycycles via Diels-Alder reaction and ring-rearrangement metathesis as key steps.

Atom efficient processes such as the Diels-Alder reaction (DA) and the ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM) have been used to design new polycycles. In this regard, ruthenium alkylidene catalysts are effective in realizing the RRM of bis-norbornene derivatives prepared by DA reaction and Grignard addition. Here, fused polycycles are assembled which are difficult to produce by conventional synthetic routes.

Design and synthesis of polycyclic sulfones via Diels-Alder reaction and ring-rearrangement metathesis as key steps.

Here, we describe a new and simple synthetic strategy to various polycyclic sulfones via Diels-Alder reaction and ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM) as the key steps. This approach delivers tri- and tetracyclic sulfones with six (n = 1), seven (n = 2) or eight-membered (n = 3) fused-ring systems containing trans-ring junctions unlike the conventional all cis-ring junctions generally obtained during the RRM sequence. Interestingly the starting materials used are simple and commercially available.

Design and synthesis of propellane derivatives and oxa-bowls via ring-rearrangement metathesis as a key step.

Various intricate propellane derivatives and oxa-bowls have been synthesized via a ring-rearrangement metathesis (RRM) as a key step starting from readily accessible starting materials such as p-benzoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone and 1,4-anthraquinone.