Design, development, mechanistic elucidation, and rational optimization of a tandem Ireland Claisen/Cope rearrangement reaction for rapid access to the (iso)cyclocitrinol core.

An approach to the synthesis of the (iso)cyclocitrinol core structure is described. The key step is a tandem Ireland Claisen/Cope rearrangement sequence, wherein the Ireland Claisen rearrangement effects ring contraction to a strained 10-membered ring, and that strain in turn drives the Cope rearrangement under unusually mild thermal conditions. A major side product was identified as resulting from an unexpected and remarkably facile [1,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, and a tactic to disfavor the [1,3] pathway and increase the efficiency of the tandem reaction was rationally devised.

Improving the in vivo therapeutic index of siRNA polymer conjugates through increasing pH responsiveness.

Polymer based carriers that aid in endosomal escape have proven to be efficacious siRNA delivery agents in vitro and in vivo; however, most suffer from cytotoxicity due in part to a lack of selectivity for endosomal versus cell membrane lysis. For polymer based carriers to move beyond the laboratory and into the clinic, it is critical to find carriers that are not only efficacious, but also have margins that are clinically relevant. In this paper we report three distinct categories of polymer conjugates that improve the selectivity of endosomal membrane lysis by relying on the change in pH associated with endosomal trafficking, including incorporation of low pKa heterocycles, acid cleavable amino side chains, or carboxylic acid pH sensitive charge switches. Additionally, we determine the therapeutic index of our polymer conjugates in vivo and demonstrate that the incorporation of pH responsive elements dramatically expands the therapeutic index to 10-15, beyond that of the therapeutic index (less than 3), for polymer conjugates previously reported.

Tandem catalytic allylic amination and [2,3]-Stevens rearrangement of tertiary amines.

We have developed a catalytic allylic amination involving tertiary aminoesters and allylcarbonates, which is the first example of the use of tertiary amines as intermolecular nucleophiles in metal-catalyzed allylic substitution chemistry. This process is employed in a tandem ammonium ylide generation/[2,3]-rearrangement reaction, which formally represents a palladium-catalyzed Stevens rearrangement. Low catalyst loadings and mild reaction conditions are compatible with an unprecedented substrate scope for the ammonium ylide functionality, and products are generated in high yields and diastereoselectivities. Mechanistic studies suggested the reversible formation of an ammonium intermediate.

Efficient and general protocol for the copper-free sonogashira coupling of aryl bromides at room temperature.

[reaction: see text]. A mild and general protocol for the copper-free Sonogashira coupling of aryl bromides with acetylenes has been developed. The use of (AllylPdCl)2 and P(t-Bu)3 provides the active Pd(0) catalyst that allows subsequent coupling of various alkynes at room temperature with good to excellent yields.

Synthesis of substituted imidazoles via organocatalysis.

A one-pot synthesis of substituted imidazoles is described. The cornerstone of this methodology involves the thiazolium-catalyzed addition of an aldehyde to an acyl imine to generate the corresponding alpha-ketoamide in situ followed by ring closure to the imidazole in a one-pot sequence. The extension of this methodology to the one-pot synthesis of substituted oxazoles and thiazoles is also described. [reaction: see text]

Synthesis of (±)-amathaspiramide F and discovery of an unusual stereocontrolling element for the [2,3]-Stevens rearrangement.

A formal total synthesis of (±)-amathaspiramide F through a tandem palladium-catalyzed allylic amination/[2,3]-Stevens rearrangement is reported. The unexpected diastereoselectivity of the [2,3]-Stevens rearrangement was controlled by the substitution patterns of an aromatic ring. This discovery represents a new stereocontrolling element for [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements in complex molecular settings.

Stereoselective synthesis of functionalized cyclic amino acid derivatives via a [2,3]-Stevens rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis.

Unnatural cyclic amino acids are valuable tools in biomedical research and drug discovery. A two-step stereoselective strategy for converting simple glycine-derived aminoesters into unnatural cyclic amino acid derivatives has been developed. The process includes a palladium-catalyzed tandem allylic amination/[2,3]-Stevens rearrangement followed by a ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis. The [2,3]-rearrangement proceeds with high diastereoselectivity through an exo transition state. Oppolzer's chiral auxiliary was utilized to access an enantiopure cyclic amino acid by this approach, which will enable future biological applications.

A tandem cross-metathesis/semipinacol rearrangement reaction.

An efficient and (E)-selective synthesis of a 6-alkylidenebicyclo[3.2.1]octan-8-one has been developed. The key step is a tandem cross-metathesis/semipinacol rearrangement reaction, wherein the Hoveyda-Grubbs II catalyst, or more likely a derivative thereof, serves as the Lewis acid for the rearrangement. Despite the fact that both the starting alkene and the cross-metathesis product are viable rearrangement substrates, only the latter rearranges, suggesting that the Lewis acidic species is generated only after the cross-metathesis reaction is complete.

Improved synthesis of aryltrialkoxysilanes via treatment of aryl Grignard or lithium reagents with tetraalkyl orthosilicates.

General reaction conditions for the synthesis of aryl(trialkoxy)silanes from aryl Grignard and lithium reagents and tetraalkyl orthosilicates (Si(OR)(4)) have been developed. Ortho-, meta-, and para-substituted bromoarenes underwent efficient metalation and silylation at low temperature to provide aryl siloxanes. Mixed results were obtained with heteroaromatic substrates: 3-bromothiophene, 3-bromo-4-methoxypyridine, 5-bromoindole, and N-methyl-5-bromoindole underwent silylation in good yield, whereas a low yield of siloxane was obtained from 2-bromofuran, and 2-bromopyridine failed to give silylated product. The synthesis of siloxanes via organolithium and magnesium reagents was limited by the formation of di- and triarylated silanes (Ar(2)Si(OR)(2) and Ar(3)SiOR, respectively) and dehalogenated (Ar-H) byproducts. Silylation at low temperature gave predominantly monoaryl siloxanes, without requiring a large excess of the electrophile. Optimal reaction conditions for the synthesis of siloxanes from aryl Grignard reagents entailed addition of arylmagnesium reagents to 3 equiv of tetraethyl- or tetramethyl orthosilicate at -30 degrees C in THF. Aryllithium species were silylated using 1.5 equiv of tetraethyl- or tetramethyl orthosilicate at -78 degrees C in ether.