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Les liquides ioniques connaissent depuis quelques décennies un essor particulier en raison de leurs nombreuses propriétés physico-chimiques intéressantes, telles qu’une faible pression de vapeur saturante, une viscosité limitée, une faible miscibilité avec la plupart des solvants communs, ou encore des propriétés d’agencement supramoléculaire, qui en font des outils puissants dans de nombreux domaines de la chimie. Les sels d’imidazolium représentent la plus grande famille de liquides ioniques à ce jour. Leur modulabilité leur permet d’être dérivés pour de nombreuses applications spécifiques, notamment en synthèse organique, où ils sont utilisés majoritairement comme solvants, et plus récemment comme catalyseurs. Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse se concentrent sur leur utilisation en synthèse organique, à la fois comme solvants et principalement comme catalyseurs chiraux, catalyseurs pour lesquels l’anion du sel est l’espèce catalytique, permettant d’ajouter de la flexibilité et de la mobilité au système. En tirant parti de la tolérance des liquides ioniques envers la majorité des macromolécules naturelles, l’objectif principal des travaux présentés dans cette thèse est le développement d’un nouveau type de catalyseur bio-hybride reposant sur l’encapsulation d’un sel d’imidazolium dans une protéine. Par le biais de la technologie biotine-avidine, l’inclusion supramoléculaire de sels d’imidazolium biotinylés portant des contre-anions catalytiques dans l’avidine a été réalisée et exploitée en catalyse. Dans un premier temps, le développement et l’étude de deux sels de 1-butyl-3-méthylimidazolium possédant des anions chiraux dérivés de la trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline sont rapportés, ainsi que leur comportement dans des réactions énantiosélectives d’aldol et d’addition de Michael. Ces types de composés se sont révélés actifs et performants en milieu liquide ionique. Dans un second temps, la préparation de sels d’imidazolium dont le cation est biotinylé et portant un contre-anion achiral, a été réalisée. Le comportement de l’avidine en milieu liquide ionique et son apport en termes de chiralité sur le système bio-hybride ont été étudiés. Les résultats montrent le rôle crucial des liquides ioniques sur la conformation de la protéine et l’efficacité du catalyseur pour des réactions d’aldol. Dans un dernier temps, l’influence de la structure du cation et de l’anion sur le système a été étudiée. Différents espaceurs ont été introduits successivement dans les squelettes cationiques et anioniques des sels d’imidazolium biotinylés. Dans le cas du cation, les résultats ne révèlent aucune influence majeure sur l’efficacité du catalyseur. La structure de l’anion se montre cependant beaucoup plus importante : la préparation de différents catalyseurs bio-hybrides possédant des anions aux propriétés physico-chimiques différentes a permis d’obtenir de plus amples informations sur le mode de fonctionnement du système bio-hybride et de la coopérativité entre l’avidine et l’anion du sel d’imidazolium.La nature ionique de la liaison cation-anion offrant une liberté de mouvement accrue à l’anion dans la protéine, la tolérance à différents substrats a également été abordée après optimisation du système. / Ionic liquids have gained a growing interest due to many interesting properties, such as low vapor pressure, reasonably low viscosity, poor miscibility with common organic solvents, and also exhibit supramolecular organization in solution, which make them interesting tools for several fields of applications in chemistry. As of today, imidazolium salts make up the largest family of ionic liquids. Their modulability allows them to be used for a wide range of applications, notably in organic chemistry, where they are mainly used as solvents, but also more recently as actual catalysts. The work presented in this thesis focuses on their use as solvents and chiral catalysts, in which the catalytic species is the anion of the imidazolium salts, adding more flexibility and mobility to the whole system. Taking advantage from the tolerance of ionic liquids toward biological macromolecules, the main goal of this work is the design and development of a new type of bio-hybrid catalyst based on the encapsulation of an imidazolium salt inside the cavity of a host protein. Based on the biotin-avidin technology, the supramolecular ligation of biotinylated imidazolium salts inside avidin, bearing catalytic counter-anion, is discussed. As a first step, the development and studies of two 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-based salts, bearing trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline-derived anions are reported. Their use for asymmetric catalysis in ionic liquids media is disclosed, both for the aldol and Michael additions. Results show that these compounds are viable and efficient organocatalysts in ionic liquids. Subsequently, the preparation of biotinylated imidazolium salts, bearing a racemic pyrrolidine-based counter-anion is reported. Avidin behaviour in ionic liquid media, as well as its contribution for the stereocontrol for the whole bio-hybrid system, is assessed. Results highlight the critical role of the ionic liquid reaction medium on the protein’s conformation, and thus the efficiency of the bio-hybrid catalyst towards aldol reactions. Finally, the influence of the structure of the cation and anion on the catalytic properties of the biohybrid system were investigated. Several spacers were inserted successively both in the cation and anion structures of the biotinylated imidazolium salts. Regarding the cation modifications, results show no major influence on the bio-hybrid catalyst behaviour. However, modifying the anion structure revealed the much more important role of the anion towards catalysis. Preparation of different anions, each bearing a different spacer, granting them different physico-chemical properties, gives rise to further information regarding the behaviour of the bio-hybrid catalyst, and possible cooperativity between avidin and the imidazolium salt. The ionic character of the interaction between the anion and the cation, allowing a greater freedom of movement of the anion inside the avidin’s cavity, and the tolerance of the bio-hybrid system to different substrates were studied.

Die Mukaiyama-Aldolreaktion ist die Umsetzung eines Silylenolethers mit einer Carbonylverbindung in Gegenwart einer Lewis-Säure. Diese Reaktion ist eine wichtige Methode zur Knüpfung einer Kohlenstoff-Kohlenstoff-Bindung in der Organischen Chemie. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird mittels quantenchemischer Methoden ein Einblick in den Mechanismus der Reaktion und die Ursachen der Enantioselektivität gegeben. Ausgehend von der unkatalysierten Reaktion wurde der Mechanismus der von kleineren achiralen Lewis-Säuren wie BF3 und TiCl4 katalysierten bzw. vermittelten Reaktion bearbeitet. Mit dem NEB-Verfahren zur Berechnung des Reaktionsmechanismus der enantioselektiv katalysierten Reaktion kam eine neuartige Möglichkeit zur Optimierung von Reaktionswegen zum Einsatz. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Optimierung auch sehr komplexer Reaktionswege möglich ist. So wurde der gesamte katalytische Cyclus der Ti-BINOL katalysierten Reaktion berechnet, wobei sich der Einsatz der DFTB-Methode (density-functional based tight-binding method) zur Berechnung des Systems als sehr gut geeignet erwies. Die Leistungsfähigkeit der DFTB Methode konnte im Vergleich mit den geometrischen Daten aus Röntgenkristallstrukturanalysen nachgewiesen werden. Die Richtung der stereochemischen Differenzierung konnte in Übereinstimmung mit den experimentellen Ergebnissen bestimmt werden. Aus diesem Ergebnis war es möglich, ein schematisches Modell zu entwickeln, das die Ursache der Selektivität veranschaulicht.

La D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBPA) catalyse la réaction réversible d'aldolisation dans la voie métabolique du glucose, c'est-à-dire l'interconversion du dihydroxyacétone phosphate (DHAP) et du D-glyceraldéhyde 3-phosphate (G3P) en D-fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP). Les aldolases sont regroupées en deux classes selon le mécanisme réactionnel : la classe I, dont fait partie l'enzyme humaine, catalyse la réaction en passant par la formation d'un intermédiaire covalent (base de Schiff), alors que les aldolases de classe II sont des métalloenzymes - un cation métallique divalent est requis pour son activité catalytique. L'aldolase de classe II, absente des mammifères, se retrouve notamment chez des agents pathogènes, par exemples Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculose), Giardia lamblia (giardiase), Escherichia coli (infections diverses) et Helicobacter pylori (ulcère et cancer gastrique). Cette distribution en fait une cible potentielle dans la découverte de médicaments. La conception d'inhibiteurs spécifiques pour l'aldolase de classe II requiert une fine connaissance de sa catalyse enzymatique et de sa structure tridimensionnelle. Cette connaissance demeure incomplète, alors que l'ensemble des structures de complexes enzyme-inhibiteur ou enzyme-intermédiaire ne supporte pas une partie du mécanisme publié dans la littérature. Nous étudions le rôle catalytique de deux résidus situés chacun sur une boucle de surface mobile de l'aldolase de classe II de H. pylori et impliqués dans des étapes d'échange de proton. Les mutants simples H180Q et E142A ont été caractérisés cinétiquement et cristallisés pour la détermination de structure sur la base de la diffraction aux rayons X. Les structures cristallines des mutants complexés à des intermédiaires réactionnels ont été résolues. La déprotonation du groupe hydroxyle en C4 du FBP initie le clivage de la liaison en C3-C4 du cétohexose, première étape du mécanisme catalytique de rétro-aldolisation. Nos résultats identifient His180, sur la boucle beta6-alpha8, comme responsable de cet échange de proton. Ce résidu est un ligand de l'ion de zinc dans la structure native; le changement conformationnel observé suite à l'amarrage du phosphate en C1 de FBP libère His180 pour permettre le clivage. L'ion de zinc migre par la suite vers le site actif afin de faciliter la liaison du substrat et la stabilisation de l'intermédiaire énediolate. Nos résultats vont à l'encontre de l'hypothèse publiée précédemment sur le rôle catalytique de Asp82 dans cet échange de proton du groupe hydroxyle en C4, le rôle de ce dernier résidu se limitant plutôt au maintien de l'intégrité structurale du site actif. La libération du G3P nouvellement produit est suivie de la protonation stéréospécifique de l'intermédiaire énediolate générant le DHAP. La libération du DHAP complète ainsi le cycle catalytique. La protonation de l'intermédiaire énediolate est effectuée par l'intermédiaire du résidu Glu142, situé sur la boucle beta5-alpha7, ce qui concorde avec des études cinétiques publiées sur d'autres FBPA de classe II. Ces études ont attribué le même rôle à ce résidu conservé entre homologues. Nous avons par la suite établi un protocole de simulation de dynamique moléculaire pour évaluer le repliement de ladite boucle et ainsi comprendre le mode d'action du résidu Glu142. Des détails mécanistiques de l'étape de clivage s'ajoutent à nos connaissances actuelles; des questions subsistent quant à leur implication au reste de la catalyse. En attribuant un rôle crucial à la boucle beta6-alpha8 dans la catalyse et non limité à la liaison de substrats, cette boucle des aldolases de classe II peut devenir une cible dans le développement d'inhibiteurs. De plus, la migration de l'ion de zinc non dépendante de ligand suggère la possibilité de chélater et restreindre l'ion loin du site actif. / Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase catalyzes the reversible aldol reaction in glucose metabolism interconverting dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3P) into D-fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP). Aldolases are furthermore classified based on their reaction mechanism: class I aldolase (e. g. human aldolase) forms a covalent Schiff base intermediate with substrate, whereas class II aldolase utilizes a divalent metal cation in catalysis. Class II aldolase is commonly found in pathogenic organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis), Giardia lamblia (giardiasis), Escherichia coli (diverse infections) and Helicobacter pylori (ulcer and gastric cancer) but not in mammals. This distribution makes class II aldolase a potential target for drug discovery. Structure driven drug design depends on an explicit knowledge of the reaction mechanism of class II aldolase and its three-dimensional structure. Our current knowledge is lacking; existing aldolase crystal structures with reaction intermediates and with competitive inhibitors are not coherent with proposed mechanisms in literature. The present study focuses on the catalytic role of two residues, each located on a mobile loop of H. pylori class II aldolase and each implicated in a critical proton transfer step. Single mutants H180Q and E142A were characterized enzymatically and crystallized for X-ray structure determination. Crystal structures of reaction intermediates formed with substrate were determined. The catalytic mechanism requires proton abstraction at the FBP C4 hydroxyl group to initiate C3-C4 bond cleavage, first step of the retroaldol reaction. Our data supports His180 situated on the mobile loop beta6-alpha8, as the residue responsible for this proton transfer. Notably, His180 chelates the zinc ion in the native structure. The structural change induced due to C1 phosphate binding of FBP releases His180 to promote cleavage. Displacement of the catalytic zinc ion ensues, facilitating substrate binding and subsequent stabilization of the enediolate intermediate. Our results do not support the previous hypothesis of a catalytic role for Asp82 in C4 hydroxyl group proton abstraction; it rather plays an important role in maintaining structural integrity for active site binding. Displacement of the nascent aldehyde G3P and concomitant stereospecific protonation of the enediolate species generates the obligate triose phosphate, DHAP. Dissociation of DHAP from the active site completes the catalytic cycle. The residue responsible for initiating enediolate protonation was identified as residue Glu142, situated on mobile loop beta5-alpha7, and this is in agreement with previous kinetic studies of enediolate protonation in other class II aldolases, attributing the same role to this conserved residue. We devised a molecular dynamic simulation method to follow the catalytic loop folding event, further investigating details of the role of Glu142 in catalysis. We gained further knowledge of the cleavage event, although work remains to elucidate missing details of the catalysis and integrate our findings. By attributing a role in catalysis to loop beta6-alpha8 not limited to substrate binding, this loop of class II aldolases becomes a potential target in drug design. In addition, ligand independent zinc ion migration suggest it is possible to chelate the metal and restrain it far from the active site.

Die Mukaiyama-Aldolreaktion ist die Umsetzung eines Silylenolethers mit einer Carbonylverbindung in Gegenwart einer Lewis-Säure. Diese Reaktion ist eine wichtige Methode zur Knüpfung einer Kohlenstoff-Kohlenstoff-Bindung in der Organischen Chemie. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird mittels quantenchemischer Methoden ein Einblick in den Mechanismus der Reaktion und die Ursachen der Enantioselektivität gegeben. Ausgehend von der unkatalysierten Reaktion wurde der Mechanismus der von kleineren achiralen Lewis-Säuren wie BF3 und TiCl4 katalysierten bzw. vermittelten Reaktion bearbeitet. Mit dem NEB-Verfahren zur Berechnung des Reaktionsmechanismus der enantioselektiv katalysierten Reaktion kam eine neuartige Möglichkeit zur Optimierung von Reaktionswegen zum Einsatz. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Optimierung auch sehr komplexer Reaktionswege möglich ist. So wurde der gesamte katalytische Cyclus der Ti-BINOL katalysierten Reaktion berechnet, wobei sich der Einsatz der DFTB-Methode (density-functional based tight-binding method) zur Berechnung des Systems als sehr gut geeignet erwies. Die Leistungsfähigkeit der DFTB Methode konnte im Vergleich mit den geometrischen Daten aus Röntgenkristallstrukturanalysen nachgewiesen werden. Die Richtung der stereochemischen Differenzierung konnte in Übereinstimmung mit den experimentellen Ergebnissen bestimmt werden. Aus diesem Ergebnis war es möglich, ein schematisches Modell zu entwickeln, das die Ursache der Selektivität veranschaulicht.

A reação de Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) consiste em uma poderosa transformação química, podendo levar à formação de importantes blocos de construção em síntese orgânica. No entanto, a reação de MBH apresenta sérias limitações, principalmente no que diz respeito ao tempo reacional, ao uso de aceptores de Michael β-substituídos e à necessidade de eletrófilos secundários extremamente elétron-deficientes. Dentro desta temática, o presente trabalho investiga uma metodologia tricomponente do tipo Michael-aldol mediada por organocalcogenolatos metálicos, dando origem a adutos de MBH β-organocalcogeno funcionalizados como produto. Nestes estudos foram avaliados diferentes organocalcogenolatos metálicos (S, Se e Te), bem como diferentes aceptores de Michael (eletrófilo primário) e aldeídos (eletrófilo secundário) frente à metodologia. Tal estudo tornou possível a obtenção da (±)-Acaterina, um produto natural biologicamente ativo, em uma única etapa reacional, sendo a síntese mais curta e de maior rendimento até então relatada. Além disso, a metodologia tricomponente foi adaptada à adição de um terceiro eletrófilo no meio reacional, tornando possível a obtenção de derivados de adutos de MBH (ésteres, éteres de silício e carbonatos) também de maneira one-pot (reação tetra-componente do tipo Michael-aldol-O-funcionalização/eliminação de selenóxido). Investigando possíveis novas aplicações dos derivados de MBH produzidos, foi estudada a enolização de ésteres derivados de adutos de MBH onde se observou comportamento nucleofílico do LDA bem como de outras bases fortes. Utilizando cálculos computacionais baseados em DFT, uma coordenada de reação foi calculada para um dos sistemas nos quais LDA foi empregado e, o resultado teórico obtido está de acordo com os resultados obtidos experimentalmente. / The Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction consists on a powerfull chemical transformation, leading to important building blocks in organic synthesis. However, the MBH presents some serious drawbacks, specially in respect to reactional time, the use of β- substituted Michael acceptors and the need for highly electron-deficient secondary electrophiles. Within this issue, the present work aims the investigation of a tricomponent Michael-aldol reaction mediated by metallic organochalcogenolates, leading to β-organochalcogen functionalized MBH adducts as products. In these studies the behavior of different metallic organochalcogenolates as well as different Michael acceptors (primary electrophile) and aldehydes (secondary electrophiles) were evaluated towards the methodology. Within this study it was possible to synthesize (±)-Acaterin, a natural bioactive compound, in a single reactional step, consisting in the shortest and higher yielding protocol related so far. Moreover, the tricomponent methodology was adapted to the addition of a third electrophile into the reactional media, allowing the preparation of MBH derivatives (esters, silicon ethers and carbonates) also in an one-pot manner (Michael-aldol-O-functionalization/selenoxide elimination four-component reaction). Investigating possible new applications of the produced MBH derivatives, the enolization of MBH esters was studied and a nucleophilic behavior was observed for LDA and for other strong bases. By means of DFT-based computational calculations, a reaction coordinate was calculated for a LDA-based enolization system and the obtained theoretical results are in agreement with the experimentally obtained results.

Im Rahmen dieser Dissertation wurde die säurekatalysierte Tandem-Aldol-MPV-Reaktion zur Darstellung von 1,3-Diolethern als Eintopfverfahren entwickelt. Dabei konnte ein Syntheseprotokoll entwickelt werden, das durch geschickte Wahl der Reaktionspartner, eines Katalysatorsystems aus LiClO4/ Trifluoressigsäure und geeigneter Reaktionsbedingungen ermöglichte, die klassische dreistufige Synthese von 1,3-Diolethern auf ein effizientes Eintopfverfahren zu reduzieren. Die Kombination mit umfangreichen mechanistischen Untersuchungen ermöglichte erstmals die Entwicklung einer asymmetrischen Variante der Tandem-Aldol-MPV-Reaktion. Dabei hat sich eine Kombination von chiralem Menthol und Methanol bewährt, wodurch die Reaktion mit hoher Chemoselektivität und ohne Konkurrenzreaktionen abläuft. Mit Hilfe dieser neuen Reaktionsbedingungen der asymmetrischen Tandem-Aldol-MPV-Reaktion gelang erstmals die Synthese von chiralen 1,3-Diolethern mit sehr guter Regio- und guter bis sehr guter Diastereo- und Enantioselektivität. Bemerkenswert ist die Möglichkeit der Steuerung der asymmetrischen Synthese und damit des selektiven Zugangs zu jeweils einem Enantiomer durch Variation zwischen (-)- bzw. (+)-Menthol. Als Erweiterung gelang erstmals eine intramolekulare Tandem-Aldol-MPV-Reaktion mit der Synthese verschieden substituierter pentacyclischer 1,3-Diolether. Auch hier gelang die Synthese ausgehend von zuvor synthetisierten Dialdehyden in einer Eintopfreaktion mit sehr hoher Diastereoselektivität. Auf dem zweiten großen Gebiet der Dissertation konnte eine neue innovative Syntheseroute zu Verbindungen in der Thiochromanreihe mit völlig neuartigem Substitutionsmuster entwickelt werden. Es gelang die Entwicklung einer milden Eintopfsynthese, die die Synthese hochsubstituierter anti-konfigurierter Thiochromane ermöglicht. Dabei gelang die Synthese eines Thiochromans ausgehend von racemischen Edukten, in dem stereoselektiv drei benachbarte Stereozentren aufgebaut wurden. / In this thesis, the acid-catalyzed tandem-aldol-Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley-reaction for the preparation of 1,3-diolethers was developed. By handy choice of the reactants, the LiClO4/ trifluoroacetic acid catalyst system and appropriate reaction conditions an efficient one-pot-reaction protocol has been established. The development of an asymmetric execution was enabled by employing extensive mechanistic examinations. Consequently, a combination of chiral menthol and methanol leads to products with high chemoselectivities and without occurrence of competitive reactions. For the first time, by employing the novel optimized synthetic scheme for the asymmetric tandem-aldol-MPV reaction, chiral 1,3-diolethers have been prepared with very high regio- and moderate to very high diastereo- as well as enantioselectivity. Moreover, an opportunity for controlling asymmetric synthesis by variation of (-)- and (+)-menthol was developed. Hence, a selective access to the desired enantiomer is given. In continuative work an intramolecular tandem-aldol-MPV-reaction for the preparation of highly substituted penta-cyclic 1,3-diolethers was developed. Also in this case, the reaction was realized as an one-pot reaction with high anti-diastereoselectivity. The second chapter of this thesis describes a new innovative synthesis of thiochromans with completely unknown substitution pattern. We were able to establish a mild one-pot synthesis of highly substituted anti-configured thiochromans. As a special highlight we suceeded in the steroeselective synthesis of a thiochroman with three adjacent stereogenic centers starting from racemic educts.

A reação de Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) consiste em uma poderosa transformação química, podendo levar à formação de importantes blocos de construção em síntese orgânica. No entanto, a reação de MBH apresenta sérias limitações, principalmente no que diz respeito ao tempo reacional, ao uso de aceptores de Michael β-substituídos e à necessidade de eletrófilos secundários extremamente elétron-deficientes. Dentro desta temática, o presente trabalho investiga uma metodologia tricomponente do tipo Michael-aldol mediada por organocalcogenolatos metálicos, dando origem a adutos de MBH β-organocalcogeno funcionalizados como produto. Nestes estudos foram avaliados diferentes organocalcogenolatos metálicos (S, Se e Te), bem como diferentes aceptores de Michael (eletrófilo primário) e aldeídos (eletrófilo secundário) frente à metodologia. Tal estudo tornou possível a obtenção da (±)-Acaterina, um produto natural biologicamente ativo, em uma única etapa reacional, sendo a síntese mais curta e de maior rendimento até então relatada. Além disso, a metodologia tricomponente foi adaptada à adição de um terceiro eletrófilo no meio reacional, tornando possível a obtenção de derivados de adutos de MBH (ésteres, éteres de silício e carbonatos) também de maneira one-pot (reação tetra-componente do tipo Michael-aldol-O-funcionalização/eliminação de selenóxido). Investigando possíveis novas aplicações dos derivados de MBH produzidos, foi estudada a enolização de ésteres derivados de adutos de MBH onde se observou comportamento nucleofílico do LDA bem como de outras bases fortes. Utilizando cálculos computacionais baseados em DFT, uma coordenada de reação foi calculada para um dos sistemas nos quais LDA foi empregado e, o resultado teórico obtido está de acordo com os resultados obtidos experimentalmente. / The Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction consists on a powerfull chemical transformation, leading to important building blocks in organic synthesis. However, the MBH presents some serious drawbacks, specially in respect to reactional time, the use of β- substituted Michael acceptors and the need for highly electron-deficient secondary electrophiles. Within this issue, the present work aims the investigation of a tricomponent Michael-aldol reaction mediated by metallic organochalcogenolates, leading to β-organochalcogen functionalized MBH adducts as products. In these studies the behavior of different metallic organochalcogenolates as well as different Michael acceptors (primary electrophile) and aldehydes (secondary electrophiles) were evaluated towards the methodology. Within this study it was possible to synthesize (±)-Acaterin, a natural bioactive compound, in a single reactional step, consisting in the shortest and higher yielding protocol related so far. Moreover, the tricomponent methodology was adapted to the addition of a third electrophile into the reactional media, allowing the preparation of MBH derivatives (esters, silicon ethers and carbonates) also in an one-pot manner (Michael-aldol-O-functionalization/selenoxide elimination four-component reaction). Investigating possible new applications of the produced MBH derivatives, the enolization of MBH esters was studied and a nucleophilic behavior was observed for LDA and for other strong bases. By means of DFT-based computational calculations, a reaction coordinate was calculated for a LDA-based enolization system and the obtained theoretical results are in agreement with the experimentally obtained results.

The aplyronines are a family of 24-membered macrolides of polyketide origin, isolated from the Japanese sea hare Aplysia kurodai. They exhibit an exceptional biological activity profile, acting through an actin and tubulin dual-targeting mechanism, with subnanomolar growth inhibitory potency against a diverse range of cancer cell lines. These characteristics render the aplyronines ideal payloads for antibody-drug conjugates but their prohibitively low natural abundance calls for an efficient total synthesis to overcome the supply issue. This dissertation describes the efforts towards developing a second-generation Paterson synthesis of the macrocyclic core of the aplyronines, focused on improving the scalability and selectivity of key transformations. Chapter 1 details the isolation, biological background and previous synthetic efforts towards the aplyronines to illustrate their therapeutic potential and the challenges associated with material sourcing by chemical synthesis. Chapter 2 presents the existing body of work on the aplyronine project within the Paterson group, highlighting the lessons learned over the past two decades and shortcomings to be addressed. Chapter 3 discusses a revised protecting group strategy towards the C1-C27 macrocyclic alcohol 159 with fewer manipulation steps. A refined reaction sequence featuring titanium aldol methodology and an enzymatic desymmetrisation process delivered multigram stocks of the C15-C27 aldehyde 161 upon scale- up, testifying to the robustness of the devised route. Synthesis of the C1-C14 northern fragment 253 closely followed the existing boron aldol approach with optimisation of the C11-C12 alkylation step, geared towards enhancing the regioselectivity. Chapter 4 describes the coupling of the two major fragments using an Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction to assemble the C1-C27 backbone of the cyclic aplyronine core and suitably adjusted endgame steps to enable a one-step oxidative unmasking of the macrolactonisation sites. The first-generation intermediate 159 was accessed via site-specific Yamaguchi esterification and orthogonal deprotection of the C27 allyl carbonate. Discussion in Chapter 5 includes the appendage of the C28-C34 side chain 118, prepared by the known sequence, and suggestions for the future direction of the second-generation route with the outlook of linker appendage for the purposes of antibody-drug conjugate development.

Atmospheric aldol self-reactions of octanal, heptanal and hexanal in a range of aqueous H2SO4 w/v% concentrations as a catalyst were studied in both bulk liquid-liquid experiments and gas-liquid experiments. Initially, a new practical methodology was developed and enhanced to monitor aldol reactions in aqueous acidic media. The evaluation of a quenching and extracting method were performed, confirming the suitability, reliability and reproducibility of the extraction method. In bulk studies, aldol products of the three aldehydes were separated and identified by preparative HPLC, GC-MS and NMR. The major aldol products observed at high acid concentrations were alpha,β-unsaturated aldehyde (dimer), trialkyl benzene (trimer) and tetraalkylcycloocta-tetraene (tetramer). The trimer of octanal was formed as trioxane in low sulfuric acid concentration and the possible mechanism accretion reaction pathways of high and low acid concentrations are proposed in this study. A systematic kinetic study of octanal, heptanal and hexanal in the bulk experiments at 65, 60 and 55 w/v% H2SO4 at 294 K were monitored using gas chromatographic equipped with a flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). The rate constants were generally estimated using second order kinetics and observed to increase as a function of sulfuric acid concentrations and also as the chain length of aliphatic aldehyde increased. The aldol self-reaction in the bulk experiment was too fast at room temperature to be easily measured using a quenching method therefore attempts were made to follow the reaction at low temperature (0 °C). The result at low temperature indicated that the rate constant of aldehyde was reduced but there was an issue of rapid rise in temperature as a result of mixing concentrated sulfuric acid with aqueous solution of the aldehyde. A gas bubbling system was developed which better simulates atmospheric reality, and which also resolves the issue of temperature rise on mixing. Two different methodologies were used: one in which the aldehyde was continually added, and one where a fixed amount was added from the gas phase and the reaction was then allowed to proceed, monitored at selected time intervals. The precision and accuracy of the fixed method was then further improved by the addition of an internal standard (IS). Using this, the concentrations of aliphatic aldehydes (C6-C8) were calibrated using an experimentally determined response factor and used to follow the loss of the reactant aldehydes. Similar methods were applied to the aldol dimers (C6-C8), which were purified and used to calibrate the chromatographic response. The rate constant for octanal, heptanal and hexanal at 76 wt% and 294 K were 0.0969 M-1 s-1, 0.1497 M-1 s-1 and 0.2622 M-1 s-1 respectively. There are some observations based upon the results presented in this thesis that may be of atmospheric significance: (i) phase separation between organic and aqueous layers in both the bulk experiment and in the bubbling system; (ii) the acid strength dependence and concentration-dependence of the various products; (iii) the faster rates than previously reported, and variation between bulk and bubbling; and (v) the time-dependent colour changes. Further work to explore these observations is proposed.