Biomimetic epoxidation

In 2010, Xiong and Corey reported a short and efficient total synthesis of (-l-)-omaezakianol in only six steps from squalene via a biomimetic epoxide-initiated cationic cascade reaction (Scheme 13.6) [7]. 

Diols are applied on a multimilhon ton scale as antifreezing agents and polyester monomers (ethylene and propylene glycol) [58]. In addition, they are starting materials for various fine chemicals. Intimately coimected with the epoxidation-hydrolysis process, dihydroxylation of C=C double bonds constitutes a shorter and more atom-efficient route to 1,2-diols. Although considerable advancements in the field of biomimetic nonheme complexes have been achieved in recent years, still osmium complexes remain the most efficient and reliable catalysts for dihydroxylation of olefins (reviews [59]). 

Biomimetic reactions should also be considered for the preparation of optically active cyanohydrins (using a cyclic dipeptide as catalyst) and also for the epoxidation of a, (3-unsaturated ketones (using polyleucine or congener as a catalyst). 

Thus, a synthetic source of promising allelochemicals is essential if we are to comprehensively study the agent s mode of activity and establish its basic structure-activity profile. The proposed work addresses this need. We will synthesize alleopathic natural products isolated from the sunflower (the heliannuols), and structurally related compounds, in optically pure form based on biomimetic phenol-epoxide cyclizations. The bioactivity of the targets and intermediates will be evaluated through laboratory tests on plant germination and growth. Bioassays will be performed on the synthetic intermediates to allow for the development of a preliminary structure-activity profile for these novel natural herbicides. 

P4 Heliannuols A, D, and K. Our preliminary results show that the biomimetic phenol epoxide cyclization route is valid for the exo cyclization products such as heliannuol D (4), and we are hopeful that... 

A new trend in the field of oxidations catalyzed by metalloporphyrin complexes is the use of these biomimetic catalysts on various supports ion-exchange resins, silica, alumina, zeolites or clays. Efficient supported metalloporphyrin catalysts have been developed for the oxidation of peroxidase-substrates, the epoxidation of olefins or the hydroxylation of alkanes. 

Epoxides can also serve as effective carbocyclization promotors, either through a polyene cyclization, as in the biomimetic epoxy-olefin cyclization of 100 in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate <99CC325>, or by a Friedel-Crafts approach, as exemplified by the cycli-alkylation of arylalkyl epoxides 102 under the influence of solid acid catalysts <99EJOC837>. 

Shizuri, Y., Yamaguchi, S., Terada, Y. and Yamamura, S. (1987a). Biomimetic reaction of germacrene-D epoxides in connection with periplanone A. Tetrahedron Letters 28 1791-1794. 

Competition of the biomimetic cyclization of epoxides, either with an aromatic ring or with a double bond, has been studied. Evidence for an early transition state has been provided and the biosynthetic implications discussed403. 

In natural processes, metal ions are often in high oxidation states (2 or 3), whereas in chemical systems the metals are in low oxidation states (0 or 1). This fact inverts the role of the metal center, such that it acts as a one-electron sink in a natural system, but as a nucleophile in an artificial ones (see other chapters of this book and the review by Aresta et al. [109]). Nevertheless, important biochemical processes such as the reversible enzymatic hydration of C02, or the formation of metal carbamates, may serve as natural models for many synthetic purposes. Starting from the properties of carbonic anhydrase (a zinc metalloenzyme that performs the activation of C02), Schenk et al. proposed a review [110] of perspectives to build biomimetic chemical catalysts by means of high-level DFT or ah initio calculations for both the gas phase and in the condensed state. The fixation of C02 by Zn(II) complexes to undergo the hydration of C02 (Figure 4.17) the use of Cr, Co, or Zn complexes as catalysts for the coordination-insertion reaction of C02 with epoxides and the theoretical aspects of carbamate synthesis, especially for the formation of Mg2+ and Li+ carbamates, are discussed in the review of Schenk... 

At least two systems can be cited as catalysts of peroxide oxidation the first are the iron (III) porphyrins (44) and the second are the Gif reagents (45,46), based on iron salt catalysis in a pyridine/acetic acid solvent with peroxide reagents and other oxidants. The author s opinion is that more than systems for stress testing these are tools useful for the synthesis of impurities, especially epoxides. From another point of view, they are often considered as potential biomimetic systems, predicting drug metabolism. Metabolites are sometimes also degradation impurities, but this is not a general rule, because enzymes and free radicals have different reactivity an example is the metabolic synthesis of arene oxides that never can be obtained by radical oxidation. 

Reddy, M. A. Surendra, K. Bhanumathi, N. Rao, K. R. Highly facile biomimetic regioselective ring opening of epoxides to halohy-drins in the presence of /J-cyclodextrin. Tetrahedron 2002, 58, 6003-6008. 

Mimoun, H., L. Saussine, E. Daire, M. Postel, J. Fischer, and R. Weiss. 1983. Vanadium(V) peroxo complexes. New versatile biomimetic reagents for epoxidation of olefins and hydroxylation of alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 105 3101-3110. 

The first enantioselective polyene tetracydization starting with a chiral epoxide was reported by Corey et al. in 1997 [8a]. The silylated enol ether 3 (Scheme 1) was converted into the tetracycle 4 by treatment with the Lewis acid MeAlCl2 at -90 °C. The synthetic route is modeled on the biosynthesis of lanosterol from (3S)-squalene 2,3-epoxide and has also been applied to the biomimetic synthesis of tetracyclic polyprenoids from sediment bacteria [8b]. 

In polyenes even tandem additions are possible. The best known and the most impressive example is the biosynthesis of steroid structures from squalene or squalene epoxide (Figures 14.12 and 14.13). The corresponding biomimetic syntheses of the steroid structure are simply beautiful. 

N-substituted iron porphyrins form upon treatment of heme enzymes with many xenobiotics. The formation of these modified hemes is directly related to the mechanism of their enzymatic reactivity. N-alkyl porphyrins may be formed from organometallic iron porphyrin complexes, PFe-R (a-alkyl, o-aryl) or PFe = CR2 (carbene). They are also formed via a branching in the reaction path used in the epoxidation of alkenes. Biomimetic N-alkyl porphyrins are competent catalysts for the epoxidation of olefins, and it has been shown that iron N-alkylporphyrins can form highly oxidized species such as an iron(IV) ferryl, (N-R P)Fe v=0, and porphyrin ir-radicals at the iron(III) or iron(IV) level of metal oxidation. The N-alkylation reaction has been used as a low resolution probe of heme protein active site structure. Modified porphyrins may be used as synthetic catalysts and as models for nonheme and noniron metalloenzymes. 

Traylor (38) has also shown that biomimetic iron N-alkylporphyrins themselves are competent catalysts for epoxidation of alkenes with a rate constant of about 104 M-1 s-1. On the basis of these observations and rearrangement reactions of specific alkenes, Traylor has proposed the reaction sequence outlined in Scheme 3 as representative of the oxidation and N-alkylation reactions of the P-450 model systems. In this scheme, the epoxide and the N-alkylated heme are derived from a common, electron-transfer intermediate (caged ferrylporphyrin-alkene cation radical). Collman and co-workers (28, 29) prefer a concerted mechanism (or a short-lived, acyclic intermediate) for epoxidation and N-alkylation reactions. Both authors note that the reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P-450 (and biomimetic reactions) probably can not be ascribed to any single mechanism. 

Porco, Jr. and coworkers also used this biomimetic domino approach for the synthesis of the quinone epoxide dimer torreyanic acid 7-151 as racemic mixture [67]. This natural product, isolated from the fungus Pestalotiopsis microspora, shows a pronounced cytoxicity to tumor cells. Its retrosynthetic analysis leads to the 2H-pyran 7-152 (Scheme 7.40). As substrate for the domino process, the epoxide... 

Over the past 25 years, biomimetic model systems have been extensively studied and a wide variety of interesting oxidation processes such as the epoxidation of olefins, the hydroxylation of aromatics and alkanes, the oxidation of alcohols to ketones, etc., have been accomplished some of these are also known in enantioselective versions with spectacular ee s. The vast majority of these transformations were obtained using monooxygen donors such as those mentioned above as primary oxidants. The complexity of the catalysts and the practical impossibility to use dioxygen as the terminal oxidant have so far prevented the use of such systems for large industrial applications, but some small applications in the synthesis of chiral intermediates for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, are finding their way to market. 

In another attempt to mimic the in vivo cyclization of humulene, Mlotkiewicz et have shown that treatment of humulene 4,5-epoxide (272) with boron trifluoride etherate leads to the formation of the two tricyclic alcohols (273) and (274) in 70% yield. The carbon skeleton of these two compounds is exactly that found in africanol (276) and the more recently isolated keto-angelate (275). Further elaboration of the alcohol (273) has in fact resulted in a biomimetic synthesis of the keto-alcohol corresponding to (275). This work constitutes the first example of the direct conversion of a humulene derivative into a naturally occurring compound. 

---