The first asymmetric synthesis of (-)-7-epicylindrospermopsin via intramolecular nitrone cycloaddition is described. The synthesis utilized a convergent approach to prepare the cycloaddition precursor 176, which was assembled by condensation of hydroxylamine 175 with aldehyde 145. Hydroxylamine 175 was synthesized from ethylene glycol (166) in seven steps. Aldehyde 145 was completed...
Studies towards the total synthesis of (-)-gymnodimine (1), a marine neurotoxin with a unique molecular architecture and pronounced biological activity, are described. These studies resulted in a convergent approach to the advanced intermediate 315, containing the C3-C32 section of 1. Two synthetic routes were developed to construct the tetrahydrofuran subunit...
An asymmetric approach to the synthesis of byssochlamic acid (1) is
described. Regioisomeric enzymatic differentiation is described in the selective
hydrolysis of dimethyl ester 30 by porcine liver esterase. Chiral dimethyl ester 42
was prepared by desymmetrization of cyclopentene 34 using porcine liver
esterase. A key intramolecular [2+2]cycloaddition-cycloreversion
photometathesis of...
A convergent synthesis of epothilone B that generates all seven of its
asymmetric centers in a completely stereoselective fashion has been
completed. Key reactions include an anti-Felkin aldol condensation to
set the C6 and C7 stereochemistry, a directed α-hydroxylation to install
the C15 (S)-hydroxyl substituent, and a Wittig condensation to...
Avermectins are a group of potent anthelmintic agents produced by Streptomyces avermitilis. They are active at extremely low dosages and are now in commercial use. In this study, the synthesis of two segments of avermectin B[subscript 1a] are described. The synthesis of the hexahydrobenzofuran subunit (segment A) began with the...
Studies toward the total synthesis of a highly potent cytotoxic marine natural product, phorboxazole A, were conducted and resulted in a route to an advanced intermediate, C4-C32, for this purpose. A key feature of our approach is the stereoselective synthesis of two cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans present in the macrolide portion of...
Studies toward the total synthesis of (+)-providencin (1), a highly oxygenated cembranoid dipterpene with a unique bicyclo[12.2.0]hexadecane skeleton and pronounced biological activity, are described. These studies resulted in the synthesis of advanced intermediates 320 and 332 which contain all of the carbon atoms of 1. In a first generation approach...
PART I. The preparation of (-)-ibogamine (1) in fourteen steps from benzoquinone and in 10% overall yield is a powerful illustration of the value of the asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction as a starting point in a multistep synthesis. All four cycloadducts, 70, 77, 84 and 96, obtained with the (S)-BINOL-TiCl₂ complex...