Natural products transformation

Hu QY, Zhou G, Corey EJ (2004) Application of Chiral Cationic Catalyst to Several Classical Synthesis of Racemic Natural Products Transforms Them into Highly Enantiose-lective Pathways. J Am Chem Soc 126 13708... 

Functional group transformations of epoxides rank among the fundamental reactions of organic chemistry and epoxides are commonplace natural products The female gypsy moth for example attracts the male by emittmg an epoxide known as disparlure On detechng the presence of this pheromone the male follows the scent to its ongm and mates with the female... 

The principal steps in the mechanism of polyisoprene formation in plants are known and should help to improve the natural production of hydrocarbons. Mevalonic acid, a key intermediate derived from plant carbohydrate via acetylcoen2yme A, is transformed into isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) via phosphorylation, dehydration, and decarboxylation (see Alkaloids). IPP then rearranges to dimethylaHyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP). DMAPP and... 

The axially chiral natural product mastigophorene A (70) was synthesized via a copper-catalyzed asymmetric homocoupling of bromooxazoline 68. Treatment of 68 with activated copper in DMF afforded 69 in 85% yield as a 3 1 mixture of atropisomers. The major atropisomer was converted into mastigophorene A (70) the minor regioisomer was transformed into the atropisomeric natural product mastigophorene... 

In the realm of natural product synthesis, Kepler and Rehder utilized the K-R reaction to synthesize ( )-calanolide A (56), a potent non-nucleosidal human irmnunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) specific reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Propiophenone 57 was allowed to react with acetic anhydride in the presence of sodium acetate to afford benzopyranone 58 in 56% yield subsequent deacetylation of 58 gave 59. Flavone 59 was then transformed to ( ) calanolide A (56) over several steps. 

Lemiere and coworkers synthesized the antipicomavirus agent 3-0-Methylquercetin (76). A key transformation was the conversion of acetophenone 61a to 3-methoxyflavone 79. In the event, 61a and 3,4-dibenzyloxybenzoic anhydride (77) were allowed to react at 160 C in the presence of sodium carboxylate 78 to deliver the penultimate intermediate in 78% yield. Debenzylation of 79 in the presence of Pearlman s catalyst delivered the natural product in 99% yield. 

Natural product synthesis poses the challenge to consider and develop new pathways of structural transformation. Natural products as targets for synthetic research possess a special fertility in this regard, because the structural channels of biosynthesis are not necessarily the conduits of organic synthesis. A. Eschenmoser19... 

---