<p>The major part of this thesis describes the synthesis of enantiopure alcohols and diols by combining ruthenium-catalyzed redox reactions that lead to racemization or epimerization and lipase-catalyzed asymmetric trans-formations in one-pot.</p><p>A mechanistic study of the unexpected facile formation of <i>meso</i>-diacetate products found in enzyme-catalyzed acetylations of alkanediols with <i>Candida antarctica</i> lipase B (CALB) was first performed. By deuterium labeling it was found that the formation of <i>meso</i>-diacetates proceeds via different mechanisms for 2,4-pentanediol and 2,5-hexanediol. Whereas the first reacts via an intramolecular acyl migration, the latter proceeds via a direct, anomalous S-acylation of the alcohol. The acyl migration occurring in the 2,4-pentanediol monoacetate was taken advantage of in asymmetric transformations of substituted 1,3-diols by combining it with a ruthenium-catalyzed epimerization and an enzymatic transesterification using CALB. The in situ coupling of these three processes results in de-epimerization and deracemization of acyclic, unsymmetrical 1,3-diols and constitutes a novel dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DYKAT) concept.</p><p>Racemization of secondary alcohols effected by a new ruthenium complex was combined in one-pot with an enzyme-catalyzed transesterification, leading to a chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) operating at room temperature. Aromatic, aliphatic, heterocyclic and functionalized alcohols were subjected to the procedure. A mechanism for racemization by this ruthenium complex has been proposed and experimental indications for hydrogen transfer within the coordination sphere of ruthenium were found. The same ruthenium catalyst was used for epimerization in DYKAT of 1,2-diols, and a very similar complex was employed in isomerization of allylic alcohols to saturated ketones. The former method is a substrate extension of the above principle applied for DYKAT of 1,3-diols. The combination of a lipase and an organocatalyst was demonstrated by linking a lipase-catalyzed transesterification to a proline-mediated aldol reaction for the production of enantiopure (<i>S</i>)-<i>β</i>-hydroxy ketones and acetylated (<i>R</i>)-aldols.</p>

The major part of this thesis describes the synthesis of enantiopure alcohols and diols by combining ruthenium-catalyzed redox reactions that lead to racemization or epimerization and lipase-catalyzed asymmetric trans-formations in one-pot. A mechanistic study of the unexpected facile formation of meso-diacetate products found in enzyme-catalyzed acetylations of alkanediols with Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) was first performed. By deuterium labeling it was found that the formation of meso-diacetates proceeds via different mechanisms for 2,4-pentanediol and 2,5-hexanediol. Whereas the first reacts via an intramolecular acyl migration, the latter proceeds via a direct, anomalous S-acylation of the alcohol. The acyl migration occurring in the 2,4-pentanediol monoacetate was taken advantage of in asymmetric transformations of substituted 1,3-diols by combining it with a ruthenium-catalyzed epimerization and an enzymatic transesterification using CALB. The in situ coupling of these three processes results in de-epimerization and deracemization of acyclic, unsymmetrical 1,3-diols and constitutes a novel dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DYKAT) concept. Racemization of secondary alcohols effected by a new ruthenium complex was combined in one-pot with an enzyme-catalyzed transesterification, leading to a chemoenzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) operating at room temperature. Aromatic, aliphatic, heterocyclic and functionalized alcohols were subjected to the procedure. A mechanism for racemization by this ruthenium complex has been proposed and experimental indications for hydrogen transfer within the coordination sphere of ruthenium were found. The same ruthenium catalyst was used for epimerization in DYKAT of 1,2-diols, and a very similar complex was employed in isomerization of allylic alcohols to saturated ketones. The former method is a substrate extension of the above principle applied for DYKAT of 1,3-diols. The combination of a lipase and an organocatalyst was demonstrated by linking a lipase-catalyzed transesterification to a proline-mediated aldol reaction for the production of enantiopure (S)-β-hydroxy ketones and acetylated (R)-aldols.

I. Reductive dimerization of pentacyclo[5.4.0.0.^2,6.0^3,10.0^5'9]undecane-8-one-(PCU-8-one, 53) affords a mixture of meso and d,l pinacols (55a and 55b respectively). Acid promoted rearrangement of 55a and 55b conceivably can proceed with migration of C(7)-C(8) and/or C(8)-C(9) to form the corresponding pinacolone(s). In our hands, acid promoted rearrangement of 55a and 55b each proceeds with exclusive migration of C(7)- C(8) bond, thereby affording 58a and 59a respectively. Mechanistic features of this rearrangement are discussed. II. 4,7,1 l-trimethylpentacyclo[6.3.0.0.^2,6.0^3,l0.0^5,9]undecane-exo-4,exo-7-diol (23a) was successfully synthesized. This diol crystallizes in a helical tubuland lattice although its molecular structure does not possess C2 rotational symmetry.

Upon treatment with a palladium catalyst and hydrogen gas in the presence of caesium carbonate, a wide range of exomethylenic allylic alcohols were found to afford their corresponding trisubstituted isomers. Although hydrogenation was an unavoidable competing pathway, careful monitoring of the reaction progress allowed the desired isomerised products to be obtained in moderate to excellent yields and high (E):(Z) ratios.

Compounds containing the 2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.n.n] moiety, otherwise known as bicyclic endoperoxides, are a class of cyclic peroxides that are readily found in nature and can be utilized as important synthetic building blocks. The chemistry of endoperoxides has chiefly been concerned with the relative weakness of the peroxide bond, with comparatively little attention directed towards transformations of the alkene unit within these compounds. Therefore the focus of this thesis is on dihydroxylation of bicyclic endoperoxides and examination of their further utility. A broad range of 1,4-disubstituted-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-5-enes were synthesized featuring a variety of alkyl and aryl substituents. These compounds were subsequently dihydroxylated with osmium tetroxide to yield diols anti to the peroxide linkage, as single diastereomers, in excellent yields. Reduction of the peroxide bond afforded cyclohexane-1,2,3,4-tetraols of toxocarol relative stereochemistry in excellent yield; this configuration of hydroxyl groups is quite prevalent in nature. In order to demonstrate the synthetic scope of dihydroxylation of bicyclic endoperoxides followed by reduction of the peroxide linkage, tetraol formation from alkyl and aryl substituted diols was examined. It was confirmed that both alkyl and aryl substituents can be tolerated in the 1,4-positions. Dihydroxylation of endoperoxides containing H atoms at the 1,4-positions was also documented. The methodology of dihydroxylation followed by reduction of the peroxide linkage was employed to synthesize the reported natural product (1S,2R,3S,4R,5R)-2-methyl-5-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexane-1,2,3,4-tetrol in a short sequence from (R)-α-phellandrene. The 2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.2]octane-5,6-diols discussed above were also found to undergo an extremely clean rearrangement to yield 1,4-dicarbonyls and glycoaldehyde, a rearrangement not reported in the literature. The possible mechanism of this rearrangement was probed and is discussed in detail. The repercussions of diol orientation to product outcome were also investigated. Finally, the possibility of expanding the scope of synthetic application for this rearrangement, particularly the potential for synthesis of optically pure 1,4-dicarbonyls is discussed. Some preliminary results are reported. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Chemistry and Physics, 2009

La demande en composés chiraux est en plein essor ces dernières années. Pour accéder à leur synthèse, la biocatalyse, couplée à l’irradiation pourrait être une méthode innovante. Il existe en effet de nombreux cas dans la littérature où l’utilisation de micro-onde semble avoir un effet activateur sur l’efficacité enzymatique.Cependant, l’effet de l’irradiation micro-onde est mal compris et controversé. Le but de cette thèse était d’étudier l’impact de l’irradiation micro-onde sur des lipases, immobilisées ou non, en étudiant différentes réactions modèles, allant de la résolution d’alcools secondaires linéaires simples à la résolution de polyols complexes, et alcools polyfonctionalisés, par comparaison entre chauffage sous irradiation micro-onde (en conditions drastiques ou non) au chauffage classique. L’étude de l’irradiation micro-onde sur la stabilité enzymatique et sur paramètres intrinsèques de l’enzyme après modification des paramètres réactionnels a permis de mettre en évidence un rôle indéniable de l’irradiation micro-onde sur l’efficacité des réactions enzymatiques. Il a été possible d’une part de diminuer de façon importante les temps réactionnels, comparé au chauffage traditionnel,et d’autre part de contrôler efficacement l’énantio préférence et la sélectivité de la lipase pour l’obtention de molécules d’intérêt. Par des procédés innovants, l’impact de la puissance d’irradiation a été montré comme hautement dépendant du modèle réactionnel étudié. En optimisant les conditions réactionnelles pour obtenir les meilleures sélectivités et activités enzymatique sous irradiation micro-onde, la synthèse de a-hydroxyamides chiraux et de polyols parfaitement résolus a pu être entreprise de façon rapide, propre, tout en respectant les principes de chimie verte. / Chiral molecules demand is booming in recent years. Biocatalyse under microwave irradiation is found to be an attractive way to synthesise these molecules. Indeed, in the literature, some cases show an activation effect on the enzymatic efficiency by microwave irradiation, compared to classical heating. However, the effect of microwave irradiation is not well understood and controversial. The aim of his PhD was to study the impact of the microwave irradiation on some lipases, immobilized or not. Different model reactions were studied from secondary linear alcohol resolution, to the resolution of more complex polyols or polyfunctionalized secondary alcohols comparing the microwave heating (in drastic conditions or not) to the classical heating. Studying the enzymatic stability and intrinsic parameters after modifying the reaction parameters, we observed a clearly microwave effect on the efficiency of the enzymatic resolutions. Using microwave heating, it could be possible to decrease, in an important way, the reaction time, compared to the classical heating and to control the énantiopréférence of the lipase to efficiently obtain chiral product. Trough innovative processes, the impact of the irradiation has been studied and it depends on the model reaction.Optimizing the conditions to obtain the best enzyme selectivities and activities under microwave irradiation, we could synthesise chiral a-hydroxyamides and polyols, in a rapid, clean way, respecting the principles of green chemistry.

La transformation d'alcènes par oxydation peut conduire à des familles de composés à plus haute valeur ajoutée utilisés comme intermédiaires de synthèse dans les domaines de l'industrie chimique, pharmaceutique, cosmétique et de la parfumerie. L'objectif de ce projet est de développer un procédé intégré économiquement et écologiquement viable pour la production industrielle d'acides mono et di-carboxyliques via l'oxydation de dérivés d'huiles végétales. La méthode de synthèse proposée repose sur deux étapes consécutives mettant en œuvre la formation de diols correspondants, aujourd'hui bien maîtrisée par OLEON à l'échelle pilote, suivit de La préparation d'acides carboxyliques en milieu oxydant et en présence d'un catalyseur supporté. L'originalité et la force du procédé proposé résident dans la réalisation de cette transformation faite en présence d'oxygène et d'un catalyseur supporté. Une compréhension fine du mécanisme a été nécessaire pour nous permettre d'une part d'atteindre des rendements élevés en produits désirés et d'autre part de lever les difficultés inhérentes à la montée en échelle. L'analyse des intermédiaires réactionnels ainsi que l'élaboration de méthodologies innovantes d'accès à ces intermédiaires ont été considérées. L'objectif final de ce projet est la mise en place d'un procédé intégré dédié à la transformation de dérivés d'huile végétale en produits chimiques valorisables / Oxidation reactions are widely practiced in the Chemical Industry and products obtained through this method represent a huge market. The transformation of alkenes through oxidation processes leads to the production of a large panel of compounds that are used as such or as intermediates in the preparation of organic chemicals, perfumes, cosmetics or pharmaceutical products. The aim of this project is to develop an economically and environmentally viable integrated process for the industrial production of mono and di-carboxylic acids of high purity from the oxidative cleavage of vegetable oils. The synthetic process, dealing with the cleavage of unsaturated fatty acids, involves two distinct successive steps. The formation of the corresponding diols, a well mastered transformation at pilot scale recently patented by OLEON, then the production of mono and dicarboxylic acids in oxidative conditions, which is the key challenging step The originality and the strength of the proposed process are to perform this second transformation with oxygen as oxidant and in the presence of a supported catalyst. Nevertheless, a full understanding of the mechanism is required in order to reach high yields and selectivity in one hand and to facilitate the scale-up stage in an other hand. The analysis and new synthesis methodology of this intermediates was considered. The final objective of this project is to set up an integrated process from the initial chosen feedstock down to the valuable chemicals

Le diabète de type 2 est aujourd’hui une maladie de plus en plus répandu. En ce sens il est nécessaire de mettre au point de nouveau composé permettant d’inhiber la gluconéogenèse. C’est pourquoi nous nous sommes intéressé à la synthèse du FR225654 1, décaline présentant une activité hypoglycémiante in vivo après administration par voie orale et inhibiteur de la néoglucogenèse in vitro (IC50 = 1,1.10-7 M). Ce composé, isolé en 2005 du champignon Phoma sp N°00144 et jamais encore synthétisé à ce jour, possède un mécanisme d’action inconnu. La nécessité d’une synthèse par voie chimique convergente et flexible, permettant l’accès à des analogues, est donc évidente. La stratégie consistait à préparer une trans-décaline par le biais d’une réaction de Diels-Alder intramoléculaire à partir d’un triène précurseur. La combinaison de ces travaux a constitué une avancée importante dans le cadre de la synthèse du FR225654, un hypoglycémiant potentiel. La mise au point d’une synthèse convergente du précurseur de la réaction de Diels-Alder permettra notamment d’effectuer par la suite des modifications aisées en vue de la préparation d’une vaste gamme d’analogues simplifiés. A ce jour, le produit de cyclo-addition a été isolé et caractérisé, validant ainsi l’étape clé de la stratégie de synthèse. Ainsi, l’accès rapide au FR225654 est rendu possible et la synthèse d’analogues est maintenant envisageable. Les produits synthétisés feront l’objet d’une évaluation biologique, l’objectif ultime étant d’accéder à de nouveaux médicaments pour le traitement du diabète de type 2. / Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing worldwide health concern that is expected to afflict over 366 million people by 2030. FR225654 is a novel gluconeogenesis (GNG) inhibitor recently isolated from the culture broth of Phoma sp.. This compound selectively inhibits GNG of primary rat hepatocytes and shows highly hypoglycemic effects in several in vivo mouse models (80% decrease of glycemia). However, to date, the mechanism of action and molecular target remain unknown. From a structural point of view, FR225654 exhibits a highly oxygenated trans-decalin ring substituted by a β-keto-enol moiety and a side-chain bearing a conjugated carboxylic acid and a trisubstituted olefin. Project specific objectives were to design an efficient total synthesis which could also permit a straightforward access to diverse analogues. This feature would constitute a crucial step for the further understanding of Structure Activity Relationship of FR225654. The work consists in synthesizing separately a side chain and a trans-decalin core by means of an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction from a precursor. To date, synthesis of the precursor has been achieved in 13 steps as well as the side chain. The Intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction has also been validated in order to accomplish the first total synthesis of FR225654.

Les 1,3-diols acycliques sont des motifs ubiquitaires, essentiels dans la structure de nombreux produits naturels. Le développement d’approches permettant leur obtention de manière énantiosélective se révèle donc d’un grand intérêt synthétique. Dans ce contexte, notre équipe a envisagé une stratégie reposant sur des transferts d’acyle énantiosélectifs organocatalysés multiples. Cette approche a abouti à la mise en oeuvre d’une méthodologie de désymétrisation énantiosélective organocatalysée de 1,3-diols méso acycliques. Les composés ainsi obtenus constituent des briques moléculaires aisément valorisables en synthèse totale. Une approche similaire a permis de décrire, dans un second temps, une méthode inédite de double dédoublement cinétique de 1,3-diols anti. Générale et pratique, ce procédé fournit des diols énantiopurs de structures variées. La particularité de ces méthodologies réside dans l’exploitation du principe de Horeau se traduisant par une amplification de l’énantiosélectivité déployée par le catalyseur chiral. Les isothiourées employés dans ces réactions constituent une famille de bases de Lewis azotées dont la capacité à promouvoir les réactions d’acylation énantiosélectives n’a été découverte que récemment. Bien que leur utilisation en catalyse énantiosélective se soit rapidement démocratisée, les éléments structuraux responsables de leur sélectivité n’ont pas été totalement identifiés. Avec le nouvel objectif d’établir une relation entre structure, réactivité et sélectivité de ces molécules, des isothiourées originales ont été synthétisées et leur potentiel catalytique étudié en détail. / Acyclic 1,3-diols are ubiquitous scaffolds, essential in the structure of numerous natural products. The developpment of innovative pathways allowing their enantioselective obtention is of first interst in organic synthesis. In this context, our team envisaged a strategy of multiple organocatalyzed enantioselective acyl transfers. This approach led to the implement of a methodology based on the organocatalyzed desymmetrization of meso 1,3-diols. The desymmetrized compounds were obtained with high level of enantioselectivity and were used as useful building blocks easily valorizable in total synthesis. In a second time, we developed an organocatalyzed method of double kinetic resolution (DoCKR) of anti 1,3-diols. Very general, practicable and useful, this process allows the preparation of enantiopur diols with a large structural diversity. The particularity of these methods reside in the exploitation of the Horeau principle leading to the amplification of the enantioselectivity. These phenomons of kinetic amplification, often anecdotic, were used in this study as a powerful tool.The employed isothioureas belong to the nitrogenated Lewis bases family which were discovered only very recently to promote enantioselective acyl transfer. Although their uses in enantioselective catalysis were rapidly democratized, the structural feature responsible of their selectivity are not all clearly identified. To establish a relationship between structure, reactivity and selectivity of theses molecules, new isothioureas were synthesized and evaluated in enantioselective catalysis.

Cannabis and its derivatives have been used for both medicinal and recreational purposes. The study of this plant led to the discovery of over 60 cannabinoids, found exclusively in cannabis, that contribute to the behavioral effects of cannabis use, the most common is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Cannabinoid receptors function to increase activity in the mesolimbic dopamine reward system. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a major role in addition and its regulation plays a crucial role in mental and physical well-being. There is evidence that CB1 receptors are important to the reinforcing effects and the development of physical dependence on opiate drugs. Studies have shown that increased levels of dopamine are consistent with addiction while reduced levels lead to a decline in recreational use. The goal of this research is to design, synthesize and develop potential CB1 receptors that exhibit a neutral cannabinoid antagonist pharmacological profile.