Stereoselective synthesis of the C15-C26 fragment of the antitumor agent (-)-dictyostatin.

The synthesis of the C15-C26 fragment of (-)-dictyostatin is reported in 10 steps and 28% overall yield. The key steps are the two stereoselective sulfoxide-directed processes: a Reformatsky-type reaction and a ß-keto sulfoxide reduction.

Hemisynthesis of two marine cheilanthane sesterterpenes from (-)-sclareol: first enantioselective synthesis of petrosaspongiolide R.

The synthesis of two marine sponge metabolites 5 and 8 from naturally occurring (-)-sclareol is described here. The sesterterpenolide (5) is synthetised for the first time, establishing the absolute configuration of this compound. The key intermediate, aldehyde (10), was obtained from (-)-sclareol in good overall yields. The use of Katsumura's Wittig reagent and subsequent photochemical oxidation delivered the sesterterpenolide (8), which was chemoselectively epoxidized on exocyclic terminal olefin using the oxaziridinium salt (14) and transformed in four steps to carboxylic acid (5).

Polysubstituted oxygen heterocycles by a Reformatsky-type reaction/reductive cyclization approach from enantiopure beta-ketosulfoxides.

The stereoselective synthesis of tetrasubstituted tetrahydrofurans and trisubstituted tetrahydropyrans bearing a sulfoxide was achieved by reductive cyclization (Et3SiH/TMSOTf) from the corresponding enantiopure hydroxy ketones protected as a dioxolane. These derivatives are easily accessible from a Reformatsky-type reaction between alpha-bromo-alpha'-sulfinyl ketones and protected alpha- or beta-ketoaldehydes, followed by diastereoselective reduction of the resulting beta-ketosulfoxide.