Kinamycins sequence

Porco s route to (—)-kinamycin C (3) began with 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (38), which was elaborated to the enone 35 by the sequence shown in Scheme 3.6. Regioselective bromination [25] followed by methylation and reduction of the aldehyde function afforded the primary alcohol 39. The alcohol 39 was dearomatized by treatment with bis(acetoxy)iodobenzene, to afford the quinone monoketal 41. Transketalization with 1,3-propanediol followed by silylation of the primary alcohol generated the silyl ether 42 in 72 % yield over three steps. 

Ishikawa s synthesis of ( )-0-methylkinamycin C (54) represents a distinct approach to the kinamycins that hinges on a key Diels-Alder reaction to establish the tetracyclic skeleton of the natural products. Additional key steps in the sequence include a substrate-directed dihydroxylation, substrate-directed reduction, and spontaneous epimerization of an a-hydroxyketone intermediate. 

Our retrosynthesis of (—)-kinamycin F (6) is shown in Scheme 3.20 [45]. It was envisioned that (—)-kinamycin F (6) could be prepared from the protected diazofluorene 114 by conversion of the ketone function of 114 to a trans-], 2-diol, followed by deprotection of the acetonide and methoxymethyl ether protecting groups. The diazofluorene 114 was envisioned to arise from diazo transfer to the hydroxyfulvene 115. The cyclopentadiene substructure of 115 was deconstructed by a two-step annulation sequence, to provide the bromoquinone 116 and the p-trimethylsilylmethyl unsaturated ketone 117. The latter two intermediates were prepared from juglone (118) and the silyl ether 119, respectively. 

Our studies of ( )-kinamycin F (6) motivated the development of a three-step sequence for synthesis of the diazofluorene function, comprising fluoride-mediated coupling, palladium-mediated cyclization, and diazo transfer. Our synthesis also features the strategic use of substrate bias to establish the trans- 1,2-diol of the target. 

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