Chapter One presents an overview of phosphorus reagents for the carbon homologations of aldehydes and ketones leading to functionalized carbonyl derivatives. Select examples are provided to exemplify the utility of carbon homologation methodology in synthesis and asymmetric organocatalysis and in the total synthesis of natural products. The directing effect of acetals on regioselective ylide formation is explored in Chapter Two. Evidence is presented for ylide formation through a complex induced proximity effect with lithium bases under coordinating conditions. Moreover, four-carbon donors represent a limit for useful directed ylide formation with trialkylphosphine-derived Wittig salts in carbonyl homologation reactions. A facile approach to the synthesis of methyl vinyl ketones (MVKs), using acetonyl tripropylphosphoranes under mild conditions, is reported in Chapter Three. A library of diversely functionalized MVKs was synthesized as a demonstration of the scope and generality of the methodology. The application of MVKs as substrates for organocatalysis and as building blocks for useful polyketide intermediates is briefly highlighted. In Chapter Four, the two-carbon homologation methodology that was presented in the previous chapter is applied to the synthesis of the polyketide olivetol and a series of O-methyl derivatives. Cyclic diketone intermediates were aromatized with catalytic iodine and DMSO as a terminal oxidant. Modification of the solvent system allowed for the selective synthesis of mono- or dimethyl ethers of methyl olivetolate. The selectivity of this aromatization is further explored in the final chapter with more complex substrates. Chapter Five focuses on the synthesis of the meroterpene phytocannabinoids found in Cannabis sativa. A synthetic strategy involving the sequential condensation/[3+3]-annulation of citral with cyclic 1,3-diketones synthesized in the previous chapter. This afforded non-aromatic meroterpenes that were subjected to acid-mediated thermal rearrangement and catalytic oxidative aromatization. Evidence for chemoselectivity of the aromatization methodology was demonstrated and a synthesis of methyl cannabinolate is presented. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Methodologies for the extension of aldehydes to functionalized olefins and their application to the synthesis of cannabinolic acid methyl ester are presented.

First isolated in 1948 from the Trichothecium roseum fungus, trichothecenes are a diverse class of sesquiterpene natural products with the structures of over 250 congeners established to date. Their general structure consists of the tricyclic “trichothecene” core, marked by the C12,13 exocyclic epoxide and C9,10 olefin, with further structural complexity generated through esterification of macrolide chains to afford macrocyclic trichothecenes including verrucarin A. Owing to their complex structures and potent anticancer activity, trichothecenes have captured the attention of numerous academic groups since the 1970s, resulting in total syntheses of both non-macrocyclic and macrocyclic trichothecenes. The macrocyclic compounds exhibit increased potency, with recent biological studies suggesting involvement of novel molecular targets. The dissertation research described herein is focused on efforts toward the total synthesis of (–)-verrucarol, the flagship trichothecene natural product, and related trichothecene congeners. (–)-Verrucarol was the subject of six total syntheses throughout the 1980s, serving as an entry point for macrocyclic trichothecenes including verrucarin A. Compelled by the recent literature on insight into their therapeutic activity, we have established a concise route to the trichothecene core of verrucarol in eight steps. The construction of the tricyclic system is enabled by a novel samarium (II) iodide (SmI2)-mediated radical cyclization to an enol sulfonate to generate a complex oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octanone ring system. Significant synthetic efforts focused on a key late-stage olefin isomerization, which was ultimately accomplished through Mukaiyama-hydration and elimination. Furthermore, while significant synthetic efforts have gone into constructing the tricyclic trichothecene core, only a single successful, albeit lengthy, enantioselective synthesis of (–)-verrucarol has been reported. To evaluate the full therapeutic potential of trichothecenes, a concise asymmetric synthesis to access the prerequisite tricyclic core is needed. Herein, we report a Cr (III)-salen complex-mediated Diels-Alder cycloaddition of 4-pyrones and the simple diene, isoprene, for rapid access of an enantioenriched precursor for the trichothecene core. Future efforts and synthetic strategies to generate macrocyclic analogues for structure-activity-relationship studies are provided, as focused synthetic efforts to evaluate their clinical potential are sorely needed. / 2025-09-20T00:00:00Z

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In this work, a new methodology for the synthesis of a number of silylated bicyclic dienes has been reported. These bicyclic dienes allowed access to a variety of enones and phenols in 2 further steps. The stabilities and reactivities of different dialkylisopropoxy silanes have been evaluated,revealing relative instability of the dimethylisopropoxy silyl group towards chromatography. When using the analogous diethylisopropoxy silyl group instead, the products showed greater stability towards chromatography, however a higher temperature was necessary to oxidise the more sterically hindered silyl group to the desired hydroxyl moiety. A powerful cascade cyclisation for the synthesis of the CDE-core of rubriflordilactone A was then demonstrated and was successfully used for the synthesis of two systems, 284 and 333. The phenolic oxygen has been successfully installed by oxidation of a dialkylisopropoxy silane. The synthesis of these ring systems provides a solid foundation for the completion of the total synthesis of rubriflordilactone A. Finally the synthesis of suitable diynes 405 for the synthesis of the acyclic precursor of the cyclisation has been achieved. The stabilities of theses silanes towards a range of reaction have been demonstrated.

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) and tetrahydropyran (THP) rings are commonly found in a wide range of natural products and biologically active compounds. In total synthesis, the formation of THF/THP motifs is often the key step but existing methods often involve numerous steps and low overall efficiencies. Part one of this thesis details the development of a practical method for the synthesis of THF rings by the controlled mono-addition/cyclisation of organolithium species to C2-symmetric diepoxides (Scheme A-1). This method can also be applied to the synthesis of bis-THF rings from triepoxides and has potential applications in more complex cascade reactions. A similar cyclisation process providing THF rings from epoxyaldehydes is also described. Part two of this thesis details our efforts towards the synthesis of the marine macrolide neopeltolide. Wright and co-workers reported the isolation of neopeltolide 211 from a deep-water sponge of the family neopeltidae off the north coast of Jamaica. The structure, which was assigned by NMR and HRMS studies and reassigned by total synthesis, contains a 14-membered macrolactone, a 2,6-cis THP ring and an unsaturated oxazole side-chain. Chapter four describes the synthesis of the C2-C8 and C9-C16 fragments (Scheme A-2). Chapter five details our initial attempts in the coupling of subunits 268 and 320, as well as a revised synthetic strategy that allowed us to successfully couple C2-C9 alkyne 347 with C10-C16 aldehyde 348 and the preparation of an advanced intermediate 364 (Scheme A-3).

This thesis describes the development of robust methodology to access cyclic alkenylsiloxanes, and their subsequent application in Hiyama-Denmark cross couplings. An early chapter shows the identification of Lindlar reduction conditions capable of generating cyclic alkenylsiloxanes from alkynylsiloxanes in high yields. The use of such species in Hiyama-Denmark cross coupling is then examined, with particular emphasis on the development of fluoride-free conditions, previously unreported for this class of organosilane. A ring-size dependent orthogonality is revealed, where 5-membered cyclic alkenylsiloxanes cross couple under basic conditions, while 6-membered analogues are inert. The origins of this effect are investigated experimentally and theoretically, leading to the proposal of detailed mechanisms for coupling. In the final chapter, the methodology that has been developed is applied to total synthesis. The great potential of the orthogonality uncovered is demonstrated with the highly convergent construction of anti-inflammatory natural product resolvin D3 by sequential, one-pot, orthogonal cross couplings.

Invasive fungal infections are prevalent and often deadly in immunocompromised patients. There continues to be a pressing need for the development of novel antifungal compounds since there are currently only 13 compounds licensed for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and antibiotic-resistant strains have been emerging. CAY-1 is an antifungal steroidal saponin which was isolated from the fruit of the cayenne pepper plant in 0.1% yield. In Vitro studies of CAY-1 have shown it to be an effective antifungal agent against sixteen pathogenic fungal strains and it showed no cytotoxicity toward mammalian cells up to 100 ìg/mL. The development of a practical synthesis of CAY-1 will potentially allow for further exploration of its medicinal utility and provide the opportunity to synthesize derivatives of CAY-1 which could be investigated in structure-activity relationship studies. To this end, methods for the preparation of they CAY-1 aglycone and pentasaccharide moieties have been investigated. Through this work, several partially protected stereoisomers of the CAY-1 aglycone have been prepared which can be used for the synthesis of saponin derivatives of CAY-1 for structure-activity relationship studies. Definitive characterization of one of these isomers, 3á-hydroxy-(22S, 25R)-5á-spirostan-2â-yl acetate, was achieved by X-ray crystallography. Furthermore, a quantitative inversion of the C-3 stereochemical configuration of this compound was achieved via an acetate group migration of the corresponding mesylate. The possibility of competition between the acetate migration and substitution mechanisms with various nucleophiles was explored. The results, however, indicate that this inversion only occurs via the acetate migration. Additionally, the CAY-1 pentasaccharide synthesis poses two significant challenges. First, these results demonstrate that the central 2, 3-branched portion can be synthesized efficiently from a partially protected glucopyranosyl acceptor since the C-2 and C-3 alcohols differ in their reactivity in glycosylation reactions. The second challenge is the ƒÀ-(1¨4) linkage to the galactosyl acceptor which significantly increases the complexity of the synthesis as compared to literature reported syntheses of other branched oligosaccharides. Nonetheless, this ƒÀ-(1¨4) linkage was achieved using a disarmed trichloroacetimidate glucosyl donor.

This thesis describes the synthetic preparation of somecompounds, which can serve as chemical signals for use in thedevelopment of control methods for pest insects. The compoundssynthesised are of the isoprenoid type and of two kinds:carvone derivatives and germacranes. The derivatives of carvoneare based on modifications of this compound, by reactions ofeither its endocyclic or its exocyclic double bond. One type ofmodifications was accomplished by chemoselective additions ofthiophenol. The latter ones imply additions to the exocyclicdouble bond and seem to constitute general, previously rarelystudied reactions. In other modifications of its exocyclic side chain, carvoneafforded some sesqui- and diterpeniod natural products. Thefollowing compounds were synthesised in an enantioselectiveway: (-)-epi-delobanone, (-)-delobanone,(-)-7-hydroxy-3,10-prenylbisaboladien- 2-one (an insecticidalconstituent of Croton linearis) as well as its diastereomer andsome other compounds with similar structures. All of thesecompounds weretested for their antifeedant/feeding deterrentcapability against gnawing of the pine weevil, Hylobiusabietis. The germacranes prepared by means of enantioselective totalsyntheses are: (–)- 1(10),5-germacradien-4-ol and(–)-germacrene D. The former is a constituent of thedefence secretion (an allomone) from the larvae of the pinesawfly, and the needles of Scots pine. (–)-Germacrene D isa ubiquitous compound in nature. For example, it occurs in thepeels of apples and acts as one component of a lure (akairomone) to the apples, which attracts the codling moth,Cydia pomonella. The main problem in the total syntheses of the germacraneswas the formation of the unsaturated monocyclic 10-memberedring. This was achieved by intramolecular alkylation with asuitably functionalised/protected cyanohydrin derivative,which, after further elaboration, afforded a monocyclic10-membered enone, that was used in the syntheses of the twogermacranes mentioned above. In the initial steps in thesynthetic sequence the stereochemistry was established byalkylation of an amide enolate attached to a chiral auxiliary.This approach could most likely also readily furnish the(+)-enantiomers of these germacrenes (of the germacraneterpenoid class) using the opposite enantiomer of the chiralauxiliary in the initial steps. <b>Keywords</b>: isoprenoids, natural product synthesis,allelochemicals, kairomones, allomones, bisabolane terpenoids,Hylobius abietis, germacrane terpenoids, Neodiprion sertifer,stereoselective synthesis.