Reversal of facial selectivity in a thia-Claisen rearrangement by incorporation of a vinylic bromine substituent.

Thia-Claisen rearrangements have been carried out using N-benzylpyrrolidine-2-thione and chiral allylic bromides derived from D-mannitol. Introduction of a bromine atom onto the double bond of the allylic bromide reverses the sense of diastereoselectivity in the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement. Density functional theory calculations lead us to rationalise the observed selectivity in terms of a Cíeplak effect.

Total asymmetric synthesis of sperabillins B and D.

A concise route to the core fragment of sperabillins B and D, methyl (3R,5R,6R)-3,6-diamino-5-hydroxyheptanoate, has been developed with a subsequent novel protection strategy allowing the total asymmetric synthesis of sperabillins B and D.

Synthesis of the tagetitoxin core via photo-Stevens rearrangement.

The core structure of the RNA polymerase inhibitor tagetitoxin has been synthesized by one-carbon ring expansion of bridged bicyclic monothioacetals. The key steps are intramolecular ylide formation by reaction between the sulfur atom and a pendant diazoester, followed by an efficient photochemical 1,2-rearrangement to give the desired 9-oxa-3-thiabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane ring system.