Synthesis of cribrostatin 6.

The synthesis of cribrostatin 6 (1) is described. A regioselective bromination, a biaryl coupling, and an intramolecular cyclization are the key steps in the synthesis.

Synthesis of santiagonamine.

The first total synthesis of santiagonamine (1) is achieved in 12 steps from isovanillin. A palladium-catalyzed Ullmann cross-coupling reaction and a photocyclization are the key steps in the synthesis.

Synthesis of pterocellin A.

The first total synthesis of pterocellin A (1) was achieved in 10 linear steps from commercially available kojic acid (6) and 2-bromo-3-pyridinol (11) in a convergent sequence. The key constructive steps are a directed lithiation to couple two pyridines and an intramolecular nucleophilic aromatic substitution to form 1. [structure: see text]

Total synthesis of nigellicine and nigeglanine hydrobromide.

[reaction: see text] The first syntheses of the pyridazinoindazolium alkaloids nigellicine and nigeglanine hydrobromide via a common intermediate are described. Ortho-lithiation/acylation and the direct amination of an isatin ring system are the key steps in the synthesis.

A Rationally Designed Prototype of a Molecular Motor.

A proof of principle of the first rationally designed, chemically powered, molecular-scale motor is described. The thermodynamic considerations leading to the choice of 6a and 7a as the initial prototypes are provided, and the synthesis of 6a and 7a and the separation of them from their atropisomers are detailed. The phosgene-powered unidirectional rotation of 6a to its rotamer 6b is demonstrated. It is further established that shortening the length of the tether (→7a) changes the rate-limiting step and accelerates the speed of rotation.

Selective Monoacylation of a Diamine Using Intramolecular Delivery by a DMAP Unit.

[reaction: see text] Regioselective monoacylation of a diamine is achieved by including a suitably positioned 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) group within the molecule.

Synthesis of azacridone A.

[reaction: see text] The first total synthesis of the only known naturally occurring azaacridone alkaloid (1) has been achieved in 10 steps from phloroglucinol. A variety of ortholithiation reactions are described, and a method for overcoming the originally unfavorable regiochemistry of one of them is provided.

Short synthesis of the CDEF ring system of lactonamycin.

[reaction: see text]. A synthesis of the CDEF fragment of lactonamycin is achieved in eight steps (six pots) from the known and readily available anhydride 4 via a Diels-Alder reaction between tricycle 13 and 2,3-dimethylbenzoquinone.

Asymmetric synthesis of the AB ring system of lactonamycin.

[reaction: see text] An enantiospecific synthesis of the AB fragment of lactonamycin (5) is achieved in eight steps from dimethyl D-tartrate. Ester enolate chemistry features prominently in the sequence.

Total Synthesis of Dimethyl Sulfomycinamate.

Dimethyl sulfomycinamate (1), a methanolysis product from the natural antibiotic sulfomycin I, is synthesized in 11 steps (Scheme 19). The chemistry of various pyridine, thiazole, and oxazole heterocycles and their coupling reactions under palladium catalysis are examined. The key transformations in the synthesis are the selective palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions on doubly activated pyridine 62 and the condensation reaction between bromo ketone 69 and amide 28 to form the oxazole moiety 76. The first preparation of oxazole triflates is described, as are some of their chemical properties.

Synthesis of Cyclo-2,2':4',4":2",2"':4"',4"":2"",2""':4""',4-sexipyridine.

Preparation of the title compound (2) by use of Stille couplings and a Kröhnke pyridine synthesis is described. By application of the Stille coupling reaction, preparation and functionalization of quater- and quinquepyridines 26, 27, and 28 were achieved. Elaboration of quinquepyridine 27 to the pyridinium salt 30 bearing a protected enal allowed for the synthesis of 2 by a one-pot deprotection/Kröhnke reaction in nine steps from 4,4'-bipyridine. Use of the Kröhnke pyridine synthesis has been applied to prepare sexipyridine dibromide 19, but attempts to induce a macrocyclization via metal-mediated (Pd/Ni/Cu) aryl-aryl coupling procedures proved unsuccessful. Acetylene-bridged sexipyridines 3a and 3b incorporating 2,2'-bipyridine units proved to be inaccessible via sp-sp(2) or sp-sp coupling protocols.

Progress toward a rationally designed, chemically powered rotary molecular motor.

Building on prototype 1, which achieves 120 degrees of phosgene-powered unidirectional rotation to rotamer 6 (see Figure 5 in the full article), 7 was designed to accomplish repeated unidirectional rotation (see Scheme 7). Compound 7 contains an amino group on each blade of the triptycene and a 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) unit to selectively deliver phosgene (or its equivalent) to the amine in the "firing position". The synthesis of 7 is described: the key constructive steps are a benzyne addition to an anthracene to generate the triptycene, a stilbene photocyclization to construct the helicene, and a Stille coupling to incorporate the DMAP unit. The DMAP unit was shown to regioselectively relay 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (but not phosgene) to the proximal amino group, as designed, but rotation of the triptycene does not occur. Extensive attempts to troubleshoot the problem led to the conclusion that the requisite intramolecular urethane formation, as demonstrated in the prototype (1 --> 4), does not occur with 7 (to give 85) or 97 (to give 100). We speculate that either (i) hydrogen bonding between the hydroxypropyl group and functionality present in 7 but absent from 1 or (ii) a Bürgi-Dunitz (or similar) interaction involving the DMAP (see 106) prevents achievement of a conformation conducive to intramolecular urethane formation.

Synthesis of the pyrazolo[4,3-e][1,2,4]triazine family of natural products: nostocine A, fluviol A, and pseudoiodinine.

The first syntheses of any members of the naturally occurring pyrazolo[4,3-e][1,2,4]triazine family are reported, verifying the structures of nostocine A and fluviol A, and leading to the revision of the structure of pseudoiodinine. The revised structure of pseudoiodinine was also established by total synthesis.

Synthesis of HKI 0231B.

[reaction: see text] The total synthesis of HKI 0231B (1b) was completed in 12 linear steps and 15.6% overall yield. An unusual anionic cyclization provided access to intermediate 61 and the embedded benz[cd]indol-3-(1H)-one ring system 3. Directed ortho-lithiation in the presence of a ketone followed by formylation and finally acid-catalyzed methanolysis complete the synthesis. Studies directed toward the construction and reactivity of the lactam acetal functionality present in HKI 0231A (1a) are also reported.

Synthesis of porritoxin.

A total synthesis following the sequence in Scheme 1 confirms that porritoxin possesses revised structure 3, not the originally assigned 1. A key reaction was the use of iron pentacarbonyl to formylate an aryllithium when DMF and methyl formate proved insufficiently reactive.

Synthesis of some unsymmetrical bridged terpyridines.

Novel unsymmetrical terpyridines 1 and 2 are synthesized using intra- and intermolecular Michael additions as the key reactions, followed by the construction of the central pyridine ring. Terpyridine 1 represents a heretofore unknown hexacyclic ring system.

Synthesis of louisianin C.

The synthesis of louisianin C (3), a member of a small family of 3,4,5-trisubstituted pyridyl natural products, is achieved in six steps and 11% overall yield starting from commercially available 3,5-dibromopyridine. The key step is a fluoride-induced desilylation-cyclization to afford carbinol 12.