Total synthesis of bryostatin 3.

Bryostatins are a family of 21 complex marine natural products with a wide range of potent biological activities. Among all the 21 bryostatins, bryostatin 3 is structurally the most complex. Whereas nine total syntheses of bryostatins have been achieved to date, bryostatin 3 has only been targeted once and required the highest number of steps to synthesize (43 steps in the longest linear sequence and 88 total steps). Here, we report a concise total synthesis of bryostatin 3 using 22 steps in the longest linear sequence and 31 total steps through a highly convergent synthetic plan by the use of highly atom-economical and chemoselective transformations in which alkynes played a major role in reducing step count.

Palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of 2-acylimidazoles as ester enolate equivalents.

A broad range of highly enantioenriched 2-acylimidazoles are synthesized by palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative asymmetric allylic alkylation (DAAA) of 2-imidazolo-substituted enol carbonates. The enantioenriched 2-acylimidazole products can easily be converted to the corresponding carboxylic acid, ester, amide, and ketone derivatives with complete retention of the enantiopurity. The synthetic utility of this new method is demonstrated in the short, efficient synthesis of cetiedil.