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Purpose The purpose of the study is to determine if a combination of dermal thickening and subcutaneous fluid honeycombing on non-contrast MRI, termed the dermal rim sign (DRS), can be diagnostically analogous to dermal backflow seen on lymphoscintigraphy in patients with secondary upper extremity lymphedema. Materials and methods Upper extremity MRI and lymphoscintigraphy were performed on patients referred to a multidisciplinary lymphedema clinic for suspicion of secondary lymphedema. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of DRS on MRI in detecting dermal backflow on lymphoscintigraphy and the correlation between DRS, Indocyanine Green (ICG) lymphography, bioimpedence L-Dex® ratio and MRI Lymphedema Staging were calculated. Weighted interobserver agreements on the presence and location of DRS on MRI were calculated. Results Of the 45 patients in the study, 91.1% (41/45) of patients had history of breast cancer. The average age was 58.4 ± 10.5 years, with a mean symptom duration of 4.7 ± 4.4 years. The mean BMI was 30.5 ± 7.0 kg/m2. Interobserver agreement on the presence and the extent of DRS on MRI was 0.93 [95% confidence-interval: 0.80–1]. DRS was present in 97% (32/33) of patients who demonstrated dermal backflow on lymphoscintigraphy. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of DRS were 96.6% [81.7%–99.9%], and 75.0% [47.6%–92.7%], 87.5% [74.9%–94.3%], and 92.3% [63.1%–98.8%]. DRS was associated with severity on ICG lymphography and bioimpedance (both p Conclusions DRS on non-contrast MRI is highly predictive of dermal backflow and correlates with clinical measures of lymphedema severity. DRS may be used as an independent diagnostic biomarker to identify patients who would benefit from dedicated exams.

For the first time we have been able to employ enantiopure 1,2‐amino alcohols derived from abundant amino acids in C−C bond‐forming hydrogen‐borrowing alkylation reactions. These reactions are facilitated by the use of the aryl ketone Ph*COMe. Racemisation of the amine stereocentre during alkylation can be prevented by the use of sub‐stoichiometric base and protection of the nitrogen with a sterically hindered triphenylmethane (trityl) or benzyl group. The Ph* and trityl groups are readily cleaved in one pot to give γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) products as their HCl salts without further purification. Both steps may be performed in sequence without isolation of the hydrogen‐borrowing intermediate, removing the need for column chromatography., The scope of carbon–carbon bond‐forming hydrogen‐borrowing reactions has been expanded to include 1,2‐amino alcohols derived from both natural and unnatural amino acids. The vulnerable amine stereocentre is preserved in the reaction by the use of a bulky nitrogen protecting group (trityl or benzyl), with the products being readily cleaved under acidic conditions to the corresponding γ‐aminobutyric acids without further purification.

Through the use of model studies, an approach was conceived towards the synthesis of the taiwanschirin family of natural products. These are structurally complex compounds which represent highly challenging and biologically active targets for total synthesis. This work describes a successful synthesis of the complex taiwanschirin fused [8,6,5] core through a novel alkynylation reaction coupled with an intramolecular Heck reaction used to construct the 8-membered ring., Key enolate alkynylation and ring closing Heck reactions have been used to make the core of the taiwanschirin natural products.

Hydrogen‐borrowing catalysis represents a powerful method for the alkylation of amine or enolate nucleophiles with non‐activated alcohols. This approach relies upon a catalyst that can mediate a strategic series of redox events, enabling the formation of C−C and C−N bonds and producing water as the sole by‐product. In the majority of cases these reactions have been employed to target achiral or racemic products. In contrast, the focus of this Minireview is upon hydrogen‐borrowing‐catalysed reactions in which the absolute stereochemical outcome of the process can be controlled. Asymmetric hydrogen‐borrowing catalysis is rapidly emerging as a powerful approach for the synthesis of enantioenriched amine and carbonyl containing products and examples involving both C−N and C−C bond formation are presented. A variety of different approaches are discussed including use of chiral auxiliaries, asymmetric catalysis and enantiospecific processes., Borrowing hydrogen: This Minireview summarizes the rapidly developing area of transition‐metal‐catalysed asymmetric hydrogen‐borrowing catalysis. A range of enantioselective processes involving alkylation of both amines and enolates are presented. A wide variety of strategies have been employed to induce asymmetry in these reactions including asymmetric reduction, dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation and incorporation of chiral auxiliaries.

A vinyl cyclopropane rearrangement embedded in an iridium‐catalyzed hydrogen borrowing reaction enabled the formation of substituted stereo‐defined cyclopentanes from Ph* methyl ketone and cyclopropyl alcohols. Mechanistic studies provide evidence for the ring‐expansion reaction being the result of a cascade based on oxidation of the cyclopropyl alcohols, followed by aldol condensation with the pentamethyl phenyl‐substituted ketone to form an enone containing the vinyl cyclopropane. Subsequent single electron transfer (SET) to this system initiates a rearrangement, and the catalytic cycle is completed by reduction of the new enone. This process allows for the efficient formation of diversely substituted cyclopentanes as well as the construction of complex bicyclic carbon skeletons containing up to four contiguous stereocentres, all with high diastereoselectivity., A vinyl cyclopropane/cyclopentene rearrangement process has been embedded in an iridium‐catalyzed hydrogen borrowing reaction, enabling the formation of substituted, stereo‐defined cyclopentanes containing up to four contiguous stereogenic centres—all from reaction of pentamethylphenyl (Ph*) methylketone and a variety of cyclopropyl alcohols.

An atom-economical methodology to access substituted acyl-cyclohexenes from pentamethylacetophenone and 1,5-diols is described. This process is catalyzed by an iridium(I) catalyst in conjunction with a bulky electron rich phosphine ligand (CataCXium A) which favors acceptorless dehydrogenation over conjugate reduction to the corresponding cyclohexane. The reaction produces water and hydrogen gas as the sole byproducts and a wide range of functionalized acyl-cyclohexene products can be synthesized using this method in very high yields. A series of control experiments were carried out, which revealed that the process is initiated by acceptorless dehydrogenation of the diol followed by a redox-neutral cascade process, which is independent of the iridium catalyst. Deuterium labeling studies established that the key step of this cascade involves a novel base-mediated [1,5]-hydride shift. The cyclohexenyl ketone products could readily be cleaved under mildly acidic conditions to access a range of valuable substituted cyclohexene derivatives.

An iridium catalyzed method for the synthesis of saturated aza-heterocycles from amines and diols is reported. A wide range of substituted heterocycles can be obtained using this approach including products bearing substituents at the C2, C3 and C4 positions. Employing water as the solvent, enantiopure diols could undergo annulation with minimal racemization, enabling the synthesis of valuable enantioenriched C3 and C4-substituted saturated aza-heterocycles.

Hydrogen borrowing catalysis serves as a powerful alternative to enolate alkylation, enabling the direct coupling of ketones with unactivated alcohols. However, to date, methods that enable control over the absolute stereochemical outcome of such a process have remained elusive. Here we report a catalytic asymmetric method for the synthesis of enantioenriched cyclohexanes from 1,5‐diols via hydrogen borrowing catalysis. This reaction is mediated by the addition of a chiral iridium(I) complex, which is able to impart high levels of enantioselectivity upon the process. A series of enantioenriched cyclohexanes have been prepared and the mode of enantioinduction has been probed by a combination of experimental and DFT studies.

Pentamethylphenyl (Ph*) ketones are rapidly emerging as versatile and useful building blocks for organic synthesis. The ortho-methyl substituents force the aromatic ring to twist out of planarity with the carbonyl, and consequently these molecules display a unique pattern of reactivity which is completely distinct to that of traditional aromatic ketones. The primary aim of this Digest is to highlight examples where new chemical reactivity is unlocked through the use of Ph* ketones, and a wide range of examples are presented including hydrogen borrowing catalysis, aldol addition and organocatalysis. Finally, methods to cleave the Ph* group to a range of other functionality are surveyed.

The alkylation of a variety of ketones using 1° or 2° alcohols under hydrogen borrowing catalysis is described. Initial research focused on the α-alkylation of cyclopropyl ketones with higher 1° alcohols (i.e. larger than MeOH), leading to the formation of α-branched products. Our search for additional substrates with which to explore this chemistry led us to discover that di-ortho-substituted aryl ketones were also privileged scaffolds, with Ph∗ (C6Me5) ketones being the optimal choice. Further investigations revealed that this motif was crucial for alkylation with 2° alcohols forming β-branched products, which also provided an opportunity to study diastereoselective and intramolecular hydrogen borrowing processes.

The single point activation of pyridines, using an electron-deficient benzyl group, facilitates the ruthenium-catalysed dearomative functionalisation of a range of electronically diverse pyridine derivatives. This transformation delivers hydroxymethylated piperidines in good yields, allowing rapid access to medicinally relevant small heterocycles. A noteworthy feature of this work is that paraformaldehyde acts as both a hydride donor and an electrophile in the reaction, enabling the use of cheap and readily available feedstock chemicals. Removal of the activating group can be achieved readily, furnishing the free NH compound in only 2 steps. The synthetic utility of the method was illustrated with a synthesis of (±)-Paroxetine., Pyridines can be activated at a single point with a new benzyl group, followed by dearomative functionalisation at C3 using formaldehyde.

A study of acyl protecting groups derived from the Ph* motif is reported. While initial studies indicated that a variety of functional groups were not compatible with the Br2-mediated cleavage conditions required to release the Ph* group, strategies involving the use of different reagents or a modification of Ph* itself (Ph*OH) were investigated to solve this problem.

A route to prepare functionalized quinolines based on a Heck reaction/UV-induced alkene isomerization sequence is described. The method allows for the preparation of quinolines under mild and neutral conditions and has broad functional group tolerance. Acid-sensitive functional groups that would not be tolerated under previous approaches can be included and a one-pot quinoline forming procedure is also reported.

The emergence of new methods for the stereoselective synthesis of strained carbocycles is a challenging but worthwhile endeavour. Cyclobutanes, in particular, have attracted the attention of both medicinal chemists and material scientists for their unique properties. Herein, we present a new method that allows access to highly functionalized cyclobutanes with complementary all-trans and trans–cis–trans relative stereochemistry, that could not be accessed before. This approach consists of an intramolecular dimerisation of non-conjugated dienes using an oxidative single electron transfer (SET) process, and is initiated by catalytic amounts of hypervalent iodine reagents. The potential uses of these cyclobutanes is demonstrated with selective functionalization, including the formation of diols and carboxylic acids.

Catalytic oxidative cyclisation reactions have been employed for the synthesis of the E and F rings of the complex natural product target pectenotoxin 4. The choice of metal catalyst (cobalt- or osmium-based) allowed for the formation of THF rings with either trans or cis stereoselectivity. Fragment union using a modified Julia reaction then enabled the synthesis of an advanced synthetic intermediate containing the EF and G rings of the target.

Synthesis of substituted β-carbolines was accomplished by utilizing the catalytic enolate arylation reaction of ketones in conjunction with several 3-bromoindole derivatives. Quenching of the arylation reaction in situ with an electrophile allowed ready incorporation of functionality at the carboline C-4 position in an efficient one-pot protocol.

An enantioconvergent method for the alkylation of o-disubstituted aryl ketones with racemic secondary alcohols is described. This process is mediated by a commercially available iridium catalyst and proceeds via hydrogen borrowing catalysis. The highly enantioenriched β-substituted ketone products were readily cleaved to a wide range of functional groups via retro-Friedel–Crafts acylation.

Pyridines are ubiquitous aromatic rings used in organic chemistry and are crucial elements of the drug discovery process. Herein we describe a new catalytic method that directly introduces a methyl group onto the aromatic ring; this new reaction is related to hydrogen borrowing, and is notable for its use of the feedstock chemicals methanol and formaldehyde as the key reagents. Conceptually, the C-3/5 methylation of pyridines was accomplished by exploiting the interface between aromatic and non-aromatic compounds, and this allows an oscillating reactivity pattern to emerge whereby normally electrophilic aromatic compounds become nucleophilic in the reaction after activation by reduction. Thus, a set of C-4 functionalised pyridines can be mono or doubly methylated at the C-3/5 positions., Electron poor pyridines can be activated by reduction and then methylated at C3/5 using formaldehyde.

A transition‐metal‐free reductive hydroxymethylation reaction has been developed, enabling the preparation of tetrahydroisoquinolines bearing C4‐quaternary centers from the corresponding isoquinolines. Deuterium labelling studies and control experiments enable a potential mechanism to be elucidated which features a key Cannizzaro‐type reduction followed by an Evans–Tishchenko reaction. When isoquinolines featuring a proton at the 4‐position are used, a tandem methylation‐hydroxymethylation occurs, leading to the formation of 2 new C−C bonds in one pot., Reductive Functionalization: The transition‐metal‐free synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinolines that bear a quaternary center through a reductive hydroxymethylation process is reported. It is a simple and robust method using cheap and accessible reagents to prepare complex heterocyclic motifs.

A photochemical approach to polysubstituted heterocycles using UV-induced alkene isomerization is described. The method allows for the synthesis of disubstituted furans and pyrroles under mild and neutral conditions and also provides access to a class of trisubstituted furans pertinent to natural-product synthesis. The method has broad functional-group tolerance and many richly decorated heterocycles have been prepared incorporating functional groups that are unstable under Bronsted and Lewis acidic conditions.

Our synthesis of the CDE ring fragment of pectenotoxin-4 utilised two key steps to make the complex bicyclic ketal unit: (i) a rhodium-catalysed vinyl group 1,4-addition as the major C-C bond forming step; (ii) a stereoselective Sharpless Asymmetric Dihydroxylation (SAD) of the resulting 1,1-disubstituted homoallylic alcohol. Subsequent acid-catalysed cyclisation afforded the desired [5,6]-bicyclic ketal of the target molecule. This methodology was shown to be compatible with the desired E ring fragment 35 in order to construct the CDE fragment 37 of pectenotoxin-4.

A new method for the stereoselective synthesis of highly functionalized oxygen heterocycles using allyl or benzyl alcohols as alkylating agents is presented. The process is efficient and atom economic, generating water as the only stoichiometric byproduct. Substoichiometric amounts of Ti(OiPr)4 in HFIP solvent are key to this reactivity, and the method tolerates a broad substitution pattern on both the alcohol initiator and homoallylic alcohol substrate. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal in situ formation of a titanium complex with HFIP which may initiate the cyclization reaction. Further stereoselective functionalization of the products allows access to a diverse range of interesting heterocyclic structures.

Pyruvic acid and other α-keto acids are frequently encountered as intermediates in metabolic pathways, yet their application in total synthesis has met with limited success. In this work, we present a bioinspired strategy that utilizes highly functionalized OBO (oxabicyclo[2.2.2]octyl) orthoester masked α-ketoacids as key intermediates for the construction of both type I and II lamellarin alkaloids. Lamellarin D was synthesized, via a key 1,4-dicarbonyl, in 7 steps and 22% yield from pyruvic acid. Key steps in the synthesis involve one-pot double enolate functionalisation of 1 followed by double annulation to form the target pyrrole/N-vinyl pyrrole core and late-stage direct C-H arylation. Lastly, a novel OBO-masked β-cyano ketone, synthesized from 1, proved to be a valuable intermediate for construction of the type II lamellarin core via HBr-mediated cyclisation. In this way, lamellarin Q was synthesized in 7 steps and 20% yield from pyruvic acid.

Hexafluoroisopropan-2-ol (HFIP) has been found to be an unusually beneficial solvent for undertaking hypervalent iodine-initiated [2+2] cycloaddition of styrenes. For the initiator phenyliodine(III) diacetate (PIDA), voltammetric data demonstrate that the enhanced reactivity in HFIP is due to its greater oxidizing abilities in this fluorinated solvent such that in HFIP the reactivity of PIDA is comparable if not superior to its fluorinated analog phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate). These results contrast with the often reported view that the role of the fluoroalcohol is to stabilize a radical cation formed by single electron transfer. Moreover, combined NMR and HRMS results reveal the formation of a strong H-bonded adduct between the solvent and oxidizing reagent which is the physical origin of the observed altered synthetic reactivity.

Reported herein is that the use of catalytic quantities of hypervalent iodine reagents (phenyliodine diacetate or Dess-Martin periodinane) allows the rapid and stereoselective formation of cyclobutanes under very mild reaction conditions. The presence of a fluorinated solvent is essential for the success of these reactions which form unsymmetrical tri- and tetrasubstituted cyclobutanes through a heterodimerization process involving two different alkenes.

A short (10 step) and efficient (15% overall yield) synthesis of the natural product (-)-(3 R)-inthomycin C is reported. The key steps comprise three C-C bond-forming reactions: (i) a vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol, (ii) an olefin cross-metathesis reaction, and (iii) an asymmetric Mukaiyama-Kiyooka aldol. This route is notable for its brevity and has the advantage of lacking stoichiometric tin-promoted cross-coupling reactions present in previous approaches. Initial investigations on the biological activity of (-)-(3 R)-inthomycin C and structural analogues on human cancer cell lines are also described for the first time.

Pd-catalyzed α-arylation of methyl-OBO-ketone (OBO = 4-methyl-2,6,7-trioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-yl) gives rise to arylated OBO-protected pyruvates. By appropriate prefunctionalization of the aryl ring or by subsequent functionalization at the α-carbonyl position of the arylated OBO-ketones, useful diketo OBO-protected carboxylates can be generated. Cyclization, aromatization, and OBO deprotection of these intermediates, using two distinct routes, gives access to valuable α-acyl heteroaromatic compounds.

Aromatic rings are ubiquitous in organic chemistry and form the basis of many commercial products. Despite the numerous routes available for the preparation of aromatic compounds, there remain few methods that allow their conversion into synthetically useful partially saturated derivatives and even fewer that allow new C-C bonds to be formed at the same time. Here we set out to address this problem and uncover a unique catalytic partial reduction reaction that forms partially saturated azaheterocycles from aromatic precursors. In this reaction, methanol and formaldehyde are used for the reductive functionalization of pyridines and quinolines using catalytic iridium; thus, inexpensive and renewable feedstocks are utilized in the formation of complex N-heterocycles. By harnessing the formation of a nucleophilic enamine intermediate, the C-C bond-forming process reverses the normal pattern of reactivity and allows access to the C3 position of the arene. Mechanistic investigations using D-labelling experiments reveal the source of hydride added to the ring and show the reversible nature of the iridium-hydride addition.

A protected pyruvate equivalent is described that allows arylation and arylation/alkylation reactions to be performed at the methyl group. Utilization of the OBO derivative of the pyruvate ester allowed the application of palladium catalyzed arylation reactions together with subsequent alkylation, under basic conditions. Moreover, the OBO protecting group could be easily removed in one step to provide access to a wide range of substituted pyruvate derivatives.

The olefin cross-metathesis reaction allows rapid access to 1,5-dicarbonyl intermediates which, upon treatment with a primary or secondary amine, allow the synthesis of a range of multisubstituted carbocyclic aryl amines. This de novo arene synthesis yields nonclassical substitution patterns in a regioselective and predictable approach that is compatible with several functional groups.

A highly diastereoselective annulation strategy for the synthesis of alicyclic ketones from diols and pentamethylacetophenone is described. This process is mediated by a commercially available iridium(III) catalyst, and provides efficient access to a wide range of cyclopentane and cyclohexane products with high levels of stereoselectivity. The origins of diastereoselectivity in the annulation reaction have been explored by a series of control experiments, which provides an explanation for how each stereocentre around the newly forged ring is controlled.

The total synthesis of (±)-streptonigrin, a potent tetracyclic aminoquinoline-5,8-dione antitumor antibiotic that reached phase II clinical trials in the 1970s, is described. Two routes to construct a key pentasubstituted pyridine fragment are depicted, both relying on ring-closing metathesis but differing in the substitution and complexity of the precursor to cyclization. Both routes are short and high yielding, with the second-generation approach ultimately furnishing (±)-streptonigrin in 14 linear steps and 11% overall yield from inexpensive ethyl glyoxalate. This synthesis will allow for the design and creation of druglike late-stage natural product analogues to address pharmacological limitations. Furthermore, assessment of a number of chiral ligands in a challenging asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction has enabled enantioenriched (up to 42% ee) synthetic streptonigrin intermediates to be prepared for the first time.

The rhodium-catalyzed methylation of ketones has been accomplished using methanol as the methylating agent and the hydrogen-borrowing method. The sequence is notable for the relatively low temperatures that are required and for the ability of the reaction system to form α-branched products with ease. Doubly alkylated ketones can be prepared from methyl ketones and two different alcohols by using a sequential one-pot iridium- and rhodium-catalyzed process.

Hexavalent neptunium can be solubilized in 0.5-3.5 M aqueous MOH (M = Li(+), Na(+), NMe4(+) = TMA(+)) solutions. Single crystals were obtained from cooling of a dilute solution of Co(NH3)6Cl3 and NpO2(2+) in 3.5 M [N(Me)4]OH to 5 °C. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study revealed the molecular formula of [Co(NH3)6]2[NpO2(OH)4]3·H2O, isostructural with the uranium analogue. The asymmetric unit contains three distinct NpO2(OH)4(2-) ions, each with pseudooctahedral coordination geometry with trans-oxo ligands. The average Np═O and Np-OH distances were determined to be 1.80(1) and 2.24(1) Å, respectively. EXAFS data and fits at the Np L(III)-edge on solid [Co(NH3)6]2[NpO2(OH)4]3·H2O and aqueous solutions of NpO2(2+) in 2.5 and 3.5 M (TMA)OH revealed bond lengths nearly identical with those determined by X-ray diffraction but with an increase in the number of equatorial ligands with increasing (TMA)OH concentration. Raman spectra of single crystals of [Co(NH3)6]2[NpO2(OH)4]3·H2O reveal a ν1(O═Np═O) symmetric stretch at 741 cm(-1). Raman spectra of NpO2(2+) recorded in a 0.6-2.2 M LiOH solution reveal a single ν1 frequency of 769 cm(-1). Facile exchange of the neptunyl oxo ligands with the water solvent was also observed with Raman spectroscopy performed with (16)O- and (18)O-enriched water solvent. The combination of EXAFS and Raman data suggests that NpO2(OH)4(2-) is the dominant solution species under the conditions of study and that a small amount of a second species, NpO2(OH)5(3-), may also be present at higher alkalinity. Crystal data for [Co(NH3)6]2[NpO2(OH)4]3·H2O: monoclinic, space group C2/c, a = 17.344(4) Å, b = 12.177(3) Å, c = 15.273 Å, β = 120.17(2)°, Z = 4, R1 = 0.0359, wR2 = 0.0729.

The development and application of novel methods for accomplishing the synthesis of heterocycles via osmium-catalyzed oxidative cyclization onto an alkene is described in this Perspective. Beginning with a fortuitous discovery, an extensive examination of the possible mechanism of cyclization has been carried out, and the method was continuously developed until it had been transformed into an extremely efficient and powerful new catalytic reaction for the formation of tetrahydrofurans and pyrrolidines with complete control over all aspects of relative and absolute stereochemistry. By working with Os(VI) rather than the more familiar Os(VIII), a highly potent yet mild set of reaction conditions were developed. In addition to the method development studies, this work also sets out some synthetic challenges against which the methodology was tested. Pleasingly, the catalytic oxidative cyclization has proved itself to be an efficient and functional group tolerant process that was pivotal to the completion of several natural product syntheses.

A new method for the stereoselective metal-free syn-dihydroxylation of electron-rich olefins is reported, involving reaction with TEMPO/IBX in trifluoroethanol (TFE) or hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) and the addition of a suitable nucleophile. Orthogonally protected syn 1,2-diols were obtained with high levels of diastereocontrol, and these products were selectively deprotected and selectively functionalized into synthetically useful compounds.

The total synthesis of dehydromicrosclerodermin B and microsclerodermin J is described. Efficient approaches to the unusual amino acids in the target molecules were developed on the basis of a Negishi coupling (for Trp‐2‐CO2H) and Blaise reaction (for Pyrr). An incorrect assignment of the pyrrolidinone stereochemistry of both compounds was confirmed by synthesizing epimers of the proposed structures. The spectroscopic data of these epimers were in complete agreement with those for the naturally derived material.

Symmetrical and unsymmetrical cyclobutanes are synthesized following an intermolecular homo or heterodimerization of various styrene derivatives.

The substituted furan carboxaldehyde 15 was converted into enone 20 via a stereoselective intramolecular pyrylium ylide-alkene cyclization. Subsequent elaboration of 20 into the triflate 23, followed by solvolysis in acidic trifluoroethanol resulted in quantitative rearrangement to the taxane B/C core 24. At a higher oxidation level 27 was ring expanded to give 28. The ring expansion strategy could also be initiated by β-elimination of the 3α, 10α-oxido bridge. Treatment of 50 with MeOH at reflux gave 52. Similar transformations in the 7-oxy series resulted in ring B expansion of 67 to give 68, and 75 to give 76.

A range of cyclic allylic trichloroacetamides has been synthesised. Dihydroxylation utilising catalytic osmium tetroxide and quinuclidine-N-oxide monohydrate as the re-oxidant in dichloromethane yields diols with good levels of syn selectivity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.

The osmium-catalyzed oxidative cyclization of vicinal diols onto proximal olefins to generate 2,5-cis-substituted tetrahydrofurans (THFs) has been exploited as the key step for the construction of several complex THF-containing natural products, namely, the annonaceous acetogenins cis-sylvaticin, sylvaticin, and the excitatory amino acid neo-dysiherbaine A. Recently modified conditions that employ a Lewis acid enable the cyclization to proceed under milder conditions, providing greater tolerance to acid-sensitive functional groups, as demonstrated in two of the syntheses. Flexibility for the construction of 2,5-trans-THFs was demonstrated in the synthesis of sylvaticin by utilization of an intramolecular hydride-shift sequence.

(Chemical Equation Presented) The PNOman can: The use of pyridine-N-oxide (PNO) transforms the catalytic oxidative cyclization to include the formation of pyrrolidines from N-Z-protected amino alcohols and amino acids (see scheme; Z = PhCH2OCO). This new method expands the scope of the oxidative cyclization as illustrated with the synthesis of a range of di- and trisubstituted pyrrolidines with complete control of stereochemistry. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA.

The ring-closing metathesis transformation has been employed to construct a library of functionalized 2-pyridones and pyridine triflates. Using this mild approach, a range of substituent patterns can be built into the aromatic core, including groups which can be demanding to incorporate using alternative protocols. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart.

A new catalytic protocol has been established by using two separate oxidation reactions, catalysed by osmium, in tandem. Control of the pH and oxidation state of the metal is crucial in controlling this new sequence, which begins with a tethered aminohydroxylation reaction (Os(VIII) is active) and is followed by an oxidative cyclisation under acidic conditions (Os(VI) is active). The result of this work is an extremely quick route (five steps from commercially available materials) to complex THF rings containing an adjacent oxazolidinone and four new stereogenic centres. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[reaction: see text] Stereoselective aminohydroxylation and dihydroxylation using osmium(VIII) oxidants enabled the short and efficient synthesis of the aminocyclitol core of hygromycin A. In addition to allowing the selective introduction of the heteroatoms N and O, the use of osmium (via an osmate ester) as a protecting group for a 1,2-glycol is also reported. This tactic allowed efficient differentiation of otherwise equivalent hydroxyl groups and allowed us to complete the synthesis in short order (14 steps) and excellent overall yield (12%).

The partial reduction of a series of electron deficient pyridines to give both 1,2- and 2,5-dihydropyridines is described. The factors that lead to formation of such dihydropyridines are discussed and it was found that, generally, the presence of two activating groups on the pyridine nucleus is optimal. A series of 2-alkyl-1,2-dihydropyridines was prepared using either Birch or sodium naphthalenide reducing conditions and some preliminary derivatisation chemistry has been examined. The identity of three relevant nitrogen containing heterocycles was proven by X-ray crystallography.

The regioselective dihydroxylation of a series of functionalised polyenes is described. Under acidic conditions, the osmate ester derivatives obtained from oxidation with OsO4/TMEDA undergo an intramolecular cyclisation reaction forming functionalised tetrahydrofurans with high stereoselectivity and in good yield. The generality of this method is illustrated with an application to the synthesis of a bis-tetrahydrofuran ring system. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.