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The first reductive generation of carbamoyl radicals using photoredox catalysis for their formation is reported. This approach facilitated the development of a redox-neutral synthesis of functionalized 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-ones via the novel intermolecular addition-cyclization of carbamoyl radicals across electron-deficient alkenes. To illustrate the versatility of this reaction, a diverse collection of 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2-ones, including fused cyclic and spirocyclic systems inspired by natural products, has been prepared.

A series of high-yielding silver(I)-catalyzed cyclization reactions of pyridine-, isoquinoline-, and pyrazine-ynones are described. The operationally simple and mild reaction conditions are a significant improvement over previously reported thermal cyclizations. The quinolizinone products were also used in a novel dearomatization strategy to prepare 0.53 g of the alkaloid lasubine II in five steps and 36% overall yield.

The dearomatization of 2-haloindole precursors allows access to indoleninyl halides, a hitherto underexploited functional handle with broad synthetic utility. Indoleninyl iodides have been shown to react via three distinct modes: hydrolysis, nucleophilic substitution, and cross-coupling. This allows a broad array of functionalized spirocyclic indole derivatives to be generated from a common starting material. They are also useful precursors to functionalized quinolines following migratory rearrangement and subsequent derivatization reactions.

A high-yielding, divergent approach to generate either spirocyclic indolenines or carbazoles from a common indole-tethered propargyl alcohol precursor is described, with mechanistic insight provided. Either product can be obtained upon treatment with different Ag(I) catalysts at rt. An unexpected hydration reaction to afford (±)-actinopolymorphol B is also reported.

A double C-H, Ar-H coupling process for the conversion of bis-anilides into spirocyclic bis-oxindoles, enabling the concomitant formation of two all-carbon quaternary centers at oxindole 3-positions in a diastereoselective manner, is described. The optimum cyclization conditions utilize stoichiometric Cu(OAc)2·H2O/KOtBu in DMF at 110 °C and have been applied to prepare a range of structurally diverse bis-spirooxindoles in fair to good yields (28-77%); the method has also been extended to prepare bis-oxindoles linked by a functionalized acyclic carbon chain.

A one-pot C-H insertion/olefination sequence for the conversion of α-diazo-α-(dialkoxyphosphoryl)acetates into α-alkylidene-γ-butyrolactones is reported. The key C-H insertion process is achieved using a catalytic amount of a dirhodium carboxylate catalyst, using operationally simple conditions. The size and electronic properties of the attached substituents were found to influence the regio- and diastereoselectivity of the process. The utility of the process is demonstrated by the synthesis of a known Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) virulence inhibitor.

The first total synthesis of the Evodia rutaecarpa derived natural product dievodiamine is described. The convergent synthesis was performed without protecting groups, delivering a route that is short and high yielding and uses limited chromatography. Key steps include organometallic addition into a DHED adduct and the Stille coupling of two advanced intermediates to complete the synthesis.

The first total synthesis of spirobacillene A, an indole alkaloid isolated from Lysinibacillus fusiformis, is reported. A Lewis acid mediated spirocyclization of an anisole derivative onto a tethered ynone was used as a key step, drawing inspiration from a potential biosynthesis of the natural product.

A simple and efficient procedure to prepare a range of diverse heterocycles by the direct acylation of imines using a variety of functionalized benzoic acids is described. The methodology features a novel method for N-acyliminium ion generation followed by in situ intramolecular trapping by oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur- and carbon-based nucleophiles. Preliminary mechanistic studies, using ReactIR, are also reported.

A concise synthesis of the AB rings of samaderine C (12 steps, 8 isolation steps, 7.8% overall yield), a quassinoid with antifeedant and insecticidal activity, is described. The development of the first general approach to the trans-1,2-diol A-ring motif in samaderine C and other quassinoids is a key feature. The trans-1,2-diol is crafted via stereoselective α-hydroxylation (of a silyl enol ether) and reduction, a strategy that has much potential for quassinoid synthesis.

The synthesis of the two proposed structures of macrocyclic marine natural product 'upenamide is reported. The key step utilizes direct imine acylation (DIA) with a protected β-hydroxy acid to construct the key tricyclic ABC ring system. The macrocyclization was completed in the final step using a Stille cross-coupling reaction.

Conjugate addition of lithium (S)-N-allyl-N-(α-methyl-p-methoxybenzyl)amide to methyl (E,E)-hepta-2,5-dienoate furnished the corresponding β-amino ester. N-Protecting group manipulation, ring-closing metathesis, and ester hydrolysis gave enantiopure [N(1')-tert-butoxycarbonyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin-2'-yl]ethanoic acid. Subsequent iodolactonization gave a bicyclic iodolactone scaffold. This key intermediate was elaborated to (+)-pseudodistomin D [in >99% ee and 7% yield over 16 steps from methyl (E,E)-hepta-2,5-dienoate].

The total synthesis of (±)-janoxepin, a novel antiplasmodial d-leucine derived oxepine-pyrimidinone-ketopiperazine isolated from the fungus Aspergillus janus, is described. The cornerstones of the synthetic route are pyrimidinone preparation, ring-closing metathesis, aldol introduction of the enamide, and dihydro-oxepine elaboration. This synthetic route proved very efficient for the formation of a number of janoxepin analogues, including dihydro-janoxepin and tetrahydro-janoxepin.

An asymmetric decarboxylative palladium-catalyzed allylation of alkyl- and aryl-substituted oxindoles has been developed, enabling the installation of an all-carbon quaternary chiral center at the oxindole 3-position in excellent yields and good to excellent enantioselectivity. An intriguing substrate-dependent reversal in stereoselectivity has been observed, whereby the size of the substituent determines the facial selectivity in the allylation step., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

An efficient new alkyne-acetal cyclization procedure has been developed to prepare enantiopure indolizidine building blocks from l-proline and then applied to prepare the Elaeocarpus-derived alkaloids grandisine B and grandisine D in an efficient manner. However, evidence is presented which indicates that grandisine B does not occur naturally but is formed by reaction of grandisine D with ammonia during the extraction/purification process., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

The preparation of 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles by a formal C-H, Ar-H coupling of anilides is described. Highly efficient conditions have been identified using catalytic (5 mol %) Cu(OAc)(2).H(2)O with atmospheric oxygen as the reoxidant; no additional base is required, and the reaction can be run in toluene or mesitylene. Optimization studies are reported together with a scope and limitation investigation based on variation of the anilide precursors. The application of this methodology to prepare a key intermediate for the total synthesis of the anticancer, analgesic oxindole alkaloid Horsfiline is also described.

A novel annelation procedure has been developed for the conversion of gamma-hydoxy enones into alpha-alkylidene-gamma-butyrolactones. This one-pot method utilizes the Bestmann ylide (triphenylphosphoranylideneketene) and proceeds by way of acylation followed by an intramolecular conjugate addition/proton transfer/Wittig olefination sequence. The procedure is "base-free" and is useful for the preparation of a range of alpha-alkylidene-gamma-butyrolactones including alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactone examples, which can be particularly base-sensitive.

The first synthetic route to the tricyclic core of the dictyosphaeric acids has been established starting from readily available (S)-(-)-4-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)cyclohexenone and involving 9 steps, including a ring-closing metathesis to produce a 13-membered macrolactone, and a doubly tethered intramolecular Michael addition.

trans-PdBr(N-Succ)(PPh3)2 (1) is a universally effective precatalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings of benzylic halides with aryl- or heteroarylboronic acids. Substituted aryl halides and halogenated cyclic enones can be cross-coupled with aryl- or vinylboronic acids in excellent yields. Catalyst recycling is also demonstrated.

The first synthetic route to the spirooxaquinolizidinone core (ABC core) of the macrocyclic marine alkaloid 'upenamide (1) has been developed. All five stereocenters were introduced with complete stereocontrol. The hydroxyl group at C-11 was introduced by a regio- and stereoselective SeO(2)-mediated allylic oxidation. The spirocyclic skeleton was formed by a stannous chloride induced deacetalization-bicyclization procedure. Further stereocenters were introduced by an enzymatic desymmetrization and by incorporation of an (S)-malic acid derived building block.

[structure: see text] A strategy for the synthesis of ajudazol A, an unusual, pharmacologically active metabolite from myxobacteria, based on the Stille cross-coupling of a 2-stannyl-oxazole with a vinyl iodide unit is described; the vinyl halide unit containing a (Z,Z)-diene was prepared in one pot by the double acetylene carbocupration of a functionalized alkyl cuprate followed by trapping with 2,3-dibromopropene.

[reaction: see text] A novel manganese dioxide-mediated tandem oxidation process (TOP) has been developed which allows the direct conversion of allylic alcohols into cyclopropanes, the intermediate aldehydes being trapped in situ with a stabilized sulfur-ylide. This methodology has been applied successfully to a variety of allylic alcohols and to a formal synthesis of the simple, naturally occurring lignan, (+/-)-picropodophyllone.

[reaction: see text] The alpha,beta-unsaturated-gamma,delta-epoxyester 1 is a novel and versatile precursor to a wide variety of C-glycosides. For instance, treatment of Z-1 or E-1 with palladium(0) affords, stereospecifically, beta- or alpha-C-furanosides, respectively. In contrast, reaction of Z-1 or E-1 with base gives, stereoselectively, the beta- or alpha-C-pyranosides, respectively.

[reaction: see text] Highly functionalized l-serine-derived organolithium reagents have been generated and reacted with a variety of electrophiles, delivering novel enantiomerically pure adducts. These adducts were then converted into homochiral amino alcohols and novel nonproteinogenic alpha-amino acids, including an aspartic acid mimic that has been synthesized in an enantiomerically pure form for the first time.

[reaction: see text] The first synthesis of the tetracyclic nucleus of the Integrastatins, natural products that have been shown to selectively inhibit HIV-1 integrase, is reported. Key steps of this synthesis involve a novel cis-selective Ramberg-Bäcklund reaction and an unusual Lewis acid-promoted cyclization step.

[reaction: see text] A (-)-quinic acid-derived enone, with the trans-1,2-diol protected as a 2,3-dimethoxybutanediyldioxy ketal, provides an excellent template for further highly stereoselective elaboration as exemplified by its conversion into the core of scyphostatin, a potent inhibitor of neutral sphingomyelinase.

[reaction: see text] Chiral alpha-(carbamoyloxy)alkyllithium reagents, prepared using Hoppe's sBuLi/(-)-sparteine methodology, were transmetalated with ZnCl(2). Further transmetalation with CuCN with overall retention of configuration gave chiral species that reacted with various electrophiles to give enantiomerically pure alcohols after deprotection. A short, highly efficient synthesis of an industrially relevant pheromone, japonilure, illustrates the value of the methodology.

[structure: see text]. Several novel scyphostatin analogues have been prepared in up to 18% yield over five steps from commercially available 4-bromoguaiacol, utilizing an organometallic addition to afford the desired syn-hydroxy-epoxides.

Manganese dioxide is employed as an in situ oxidant for the one-pot conversion of alcohols into imines. In combination with polymer-supported cyanoborohydride (PSCBH), a one-pot oxidation-imine formation-reduction sequence is reported. This procedure enables alcohols to be converted directly into both secondary and tertiary amines.

[reaction: see text] L-Proline was utilized to prepare an optically active 1-oxo-2-oxa-5-azaspiro[3.4]octane for the first time. The synthesis of the racemic system, using a tandem aldol-lactonization reaction, is also described. Ruthenium tetroxide oxidation of these compounds afforded the corresponding spiro beta-lactone gamma-lactams.

[reaction--see text] Dimerization of salicylaldehydes provided 6H,12H-6,12-epoxydibenzo[b, f][1,5]dioxocins in multigram quantities. Deprotonation-allylation of the benzylic acetals followed by further functionalization of the diallyl derivative and double Friedel-Crafts cyclization gave a novel preussomerin analogue which possessed the full carbon skeleton of the natural products.