Of erythronolide

NaN02, 1 N HCl, CH3OH, H2O, 0°, 3 h, 76% yield. In the last step of a synthesis of erythronolide A, acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of an acetonide failed because the carbonyl-containing precursor was unstable to acidic hydrolysis (3% MeOH, HCl, 0°, 30 min, conditions developed for the synthesis of erythronolide B). Consequently the carbonyl group was protected... 

The first total synthesis of erythronolide A was accomplished from iodide A and lactone B, the same intermediate which had been used for the synthesis of erythronolide B. The pronounced acid sensitivity of erythronolide A necessitated a digression of the final steps of the synthesis from those used for the earlier synthesis of erythronolide B. 

The fungus Streptomyces erythreus is the source of a number of structurally related macrolide antibiotics that are collectively known as the erythromycins. The erythromycins occupy a prominent position in medicine by virtue of their useful antibacterial properties. Their use in therapy over the course of the last three decades has been widespread, and has resulted in the saving of many human lives. In this chapter, we address the landmark total synthesis of erythronolide B (1), the biosynthetic precursor of all the erythromycins, by E.J. Corey and his coworkers which was carried out at Harvard in the 1970s.1... 

The first total synthesis of erythronolide B (1) by Corey stands as an event of great historical significance in synthetic chemistry it provides a powerful illustration of the utility of Corey s methods of macrolactonization and it demonstrates, in a particularly insightful way, the value of using readily accessible six-membered ring templates for the assembly of contiguous arrays of stereo-genic centers. 

The synthesis of key intermediate 12, in optically active form, commences with the resolution of racemic trans-2,3-epoxybutyric acid (27), a substance readily obtained by epoxidation of crotonic acid (26) (see Scheme 5). Treatment of racemic 27 with enantio-merically pure (S)-(-)-1 -a-napthylethylamine affords a 1 1 mixture of diastereomeric ammonium salts which can be resolved by recrystallization from absolute ethanol. Acidification of the resolved diastereomeric ammonium salts with methanesulfonic acid and extraction furnishes both epoxy acid enantiomers in eantiomerically pure form. Because the optical rotation and absolute configuration of one of the antipodes was known, the identity of enantiomerically pure epoxy acid, (+)-27, with the absolute configuration required for a synthesis of erythronolide B, could be confirmed. Sequential treatment of (+)-27 with ethyl chloroformate, excess sodium boro-hydride, and 2-methoxypropene with a trace of phosphorous oxychloride affords protected intermediate 28 in an overall yield of 76%. The action of ethyl chloroformate on carboxylic acid (+)-27 affords a mixed carbonic anhydride which is subsequently reduced by sodium borohydride to a primary alcohol. Protection of the primary hydroxyl group in the form of a mixed ketal is achieved easily with 2-methoxypropene and a catalytic amount of phosphorous oxychloride. 

Having retraced the efficient and elegant sequences of reactions that have led to the synthesi of key intermediates 11 and 12, we are now in a position to address their union and the completion of the total synthesis of erythronolide B. Taken together, intermediates 11 and 12 contain all of the carbon atoms of erythronolide B, and although both are available in optically active form of the required absolute configuration, racemic 11 and enantiomerically pure 12... 

Natural product total syntheses are particularly valuable when they are attended by the development of general utility methods of synthesis. In some instances, the successful completion of a natural product total synthesis requires the development and application of a new synthetic method. The total synthesis of erythronolide B by Corey et al. is one of these instances. The double activation macro-lactonization method was a fruitful innovation that was introduced in response to the challenge presented by the macrocyclic structures of the erythromycins. Several other methods to achieve the same objective, and numerous applications followed. 

A stereoselective total synthesis of erythronolide A, using two Mg/z-mediated cycloadditions of nitrile oxides has been described. Of broader significance, the strategy not only facilitates the synthesis of specific polyketide targets (i.e., natural products) but also opens up new possibilities for the preparation of nonnatural analogs (482). 

At this juncture, it is useful to look at Table 7-1, in which the syntheses of erythronolide and the ansa chain are used as examples to show that reagent-controlled syntheses are clearly more advantageous than substrate-controlled reactions in terms of three criteria the overall yield, overall stereoselectivity, and number of steps involved in each of the syntheses. A careful examination of Table 7-1 clearly shows the advantages of this strategy. 

A stereoselective osmylation approach was applied to the synthesis of C(l)—C(7) and C(7)—C(13) subunits of erythronolide A41. A key synthon of the erythronolide A seco acid, 30, was prepared in an enantiomerically pure form by utilizing a stereoselective osmylation of the chiral hydroxy (Z, )-diene ester 31 and subsequent hydrogenation of the resulting butenolide 32 (equation 24). 

Let us consider Woodward s synthesis of erythronolide A -the aglycone of the antibiotic erythromycin A- which was published posthumously [2]. 

Flurithromycin is an erythromycin fluorinated at C-8, which was launched several years ago (cf. Chapter 8). Its preparation involves an electrophilic fluorination with or with an N— F reagent (NFSI) of 8,9-anhydroerythromycin-6,9-hemiacetal or of erythronolide A. Glycosylations have also been performed by fermentation (Figure 4.57). ... 

S. Hanessian and G. Rancourt, Carbohydrates as chiral intermediates in organic synthesis. Two functionalized chemical precursors comprising eight of the ten chiral centers of erythronolide. Can. J. Chem. 55 1111 (1977). 

Few applications of cyclizations to form fused ring 8-lactones or tetrahydropyrans are found. Two consecutive bromolactonizations were used to effect stereoselective dihydroxylation of a cyclohexadi-enone system in a total synthesis of erythronolide B (Scheme S).64 Iodolactonization of an NJV-di-ethylbenzamide derivative to form a ds-fused benzolactone was a key step in a recent synthesis of pancratistatin.641 A di-fused tetrahydropyran was produced in good yield by intramolecular oxymercura-tion as shown in equation (17),59 although attempts to cyclize a more highly functionalized system have been reported to fail.65 Formation of a fused ring tetrahydropyran via an anti-Markovnikov 6-endo sel-enoetherification has been reported in cases where steric and stereoelectronic factors disfavor a 5-exo cyclization to a spirocyclic structure.38... 

In the total synthesis of optically active erythromycin A reported by Woodward and collaborators (87), the bicyclic compound 142 (Fig. 1) was used to produce the two segments Cg-C)5 (143) and Cg-Cg (144) of erythronolide A. These two segments were then combined (-145) and converted into 146). Aldol condensation of a propionate ester derivative with 146 gave the erythronolide A secoacid derivative J 47 (Fig. 2) which was successfully transformed into erythromycin A (149) through a series of chemical transformations where compound 148 was one of the key intermediates. 

The key step in the stereoselective total synthesis of erythronolide A is the Mg(II)-mediated 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the functionalized nitrile oxide (45) with the allylic alcohol (46) to produce the isoxazoline (47) as a single diastereomer in high... 

RB Woodward, E Logusch, KP Nambiar, K Sakan, D Ward, B-W Au-Yeung, P Balaram, LJ Browne, PJ Card, CH Chen, RB Chenevert, A Fliri, K Frobel, H-J Gais, DG Garrat, K Hayakawa, W Heggie, DP Hesson, D Hoppe, 11 loppe et al. Asymmetric total synthesis of erythromycin. 1. Synthesis of erythronolide A seco acid derivative via asymmetric induction. J Am Chem Soc 103 3210-3213, 1981. 

---