Although the use of Ln(^2+) species as one electron reducing agents has recently become popular, relatively few processes have focused on the control of stereochemistry by the incorporation of chiral auxiliaries at the metal centre. This thesis discusses work aimed at the synthesis of chiral bis(pentaalkylcyclopentadienyl) and polyaza/oxo ligands for Ln(II) ions, and their subsequent application in asymmetric organic synthesis. Synthesis of enantiomerically pure bis(pentaalkylcyclopentadienyl) ligands was attempted via a novel double Nazarov cyclisation of 5,6-di-(methyl)-decane-3,8-dione. A competing intermolecular aldol reaction reduced the efficiency of this route, although subsequent work suggests that the alternative ketone, (3,4-RR/SS)-bis(2'- oxobutyl)tetrahydrofuran, could inhibit aldol formation. In addition, a route for bis(tetramethylcyclopentadienyl) ligands was developed via oxidative coupling of 4-(S)-isopropyl-3-propionyl-oxazolidin-2-one.A range of tetradentate polyaza/oxo ligands have been prepared and their application in enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation, in particular the Barbier reaction between 2-octanone and bromobutane, investigated. Using N,N'-bis(3'- propionamide)cyclohexane-l,2-diamine, asymmetric induction and a marked acceleration in reaction rate was observed. This represents the first enantioselective Sm(II)-mediated Barbier reaction. The use of aryl ketones affords pinacols with low enantioselectivity.

I. Efforts Toward the Synthesis of (–)-Tetracycline. A macrocyclic approach toward (–)-tetracycline is described. Traditional approaches towards the synthesis of tetracycline antibiotics employ the linear construction of the core structure starting with either the A- or D-rings. In contrast to this iterative annulation-based strategy, we have sought to employ a chiral macrocycle in our approach. Key to the success of our synthesis endeavor is the execution of two key steps: (1) a transannular Michael addition, which forms the A-ring and sets the C4a-stereogenic center; and (2) an isoxazole substitution reaction, which effects a ring contraction to produce both the B- and C-rings. This work describes our implementation of the strategy and focuses on the stereochemical interplay between the C4-, C4a-, C6-, and C12a-stereocenters within the context of the key steps. II. Analysis of the Peripheral Attack Model. The application of the peripheral attack model to 34 literature examples of intermolecular macrocyclic stereocontrol is described. While the peripheral attack model has been broadly applied in complex molecule synthesis, the validity of the model has not been subjected to analysis since being proposed in the early 1980’s. In order to assess the value of the model to organic chemists, we have developed a systematic method for probing the conformational profile of macrocycles. Using this tool, we then analyzed each of the 34 literature substrates and concluded whether the peripheral attack model predicts the correct stereochemical outcome in both a binary- and magnitude-based capacity. Analysis of both the bulk dataset and subsets of the dataset is included. / Chemistry and Chemical Biology

I. Completion of a Total Synthesis of Peloruside A: The completion of a 22 step synthesis of the marine natural product peloruside A is presented. The second generation strategy cuts 10 steps from longest linear sequence of the Evans group’s first generation synthesis of peloruside A by changing the order of fragment coupling operations and maintaining \(C_1\) and \(C_9\) at their final oxidation states over the course of most of the synthesis. Key steps include two highly diastereoselective aldol fragment couplings, a tin tetrachloride mediated hydrosilylation and a macrolactonization on a seco acid containing no cyclic templating elements. II. Studies toward the Total Synthesis of Spiro-Prorocentrimine: The development of an intermolecular Diels–Alder approach toward the marine natural product spiro–prorocentrimine is described. This work began with the adaptation of the Evans group’s previous intramolecular Diels–Alder approach. It was found that protonated imines bearing non-coordinating counterions were of sufficient reactivity to allow cycloaddition to occur even on dienes that were unreactive under the previous best conditions. In the course of these studies, isomerization of a macrocyclic diene during the course of a Diels–Alder reaction complicated the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. Reaction conditions to suppress the isomerization and obtain Diels–Alder adducts bearing the correct configuration at both \(C_9\) and \(C_{33}\) were developed based on a qualitative consideration of the pKas of species present in the reaction. The of several macrocyclic dienes was examined to help explain the course of the Diels–Alder reaction. Other key steps include an iron catalyzed olefin formation, the highly diastereoselective hydrogenation of a trisubstituted olefin in the presence of an enol ether, protecting group studies to suppress the contraction of a 15 membered lactone to a 6 membered lactone and studies of a protecting group strategy to allow installation of a sulfate. Lessons learned from this work and previous efforts are combined in a proposal for a bioinspired synthesis of spiro-prorocentrimine with a longest linear sequence of less than 30 steps. / Chemistry and Chemical Biology

The conceptually simple process of linking carbohydrate units by glycosylation has proven to be one of the most difficult synthetic processes to control from a stereochemical perspective. In particular it is the stereocontrolled synthesis of 1,2-cis glycosyl linkages (e.g. α-glucosides, β-mannosides) which poses the most difficult challenge. The research presented in this thesis describes new ways in which stereocontrol in glycosylation reactions can be achieved. New methods of neighbouring group participation have been explored, utilising novel protecting groups at the 2-postion of a series of glycosyl donors. In particular the use of glycosyl donors bearing a (thiophen-2-yl)methyl protecting group at the 2-hydroxyl have shown exceptional α-selectivity especially when used in conjunction with a sterically hindered glycosyl acceptor. Work within this thesis also describes the first use of chiral Brønsted acid catalysts in the activation of glycosyl donors. It has been clearly demonstrated that not only can such catalysts be used in glycosylation reactions, but also that the chirality of the catalyst can dictate the stereochemical outcome of the reaction. The preliminary studies presented demonstrate that this methodology warrants further investigation.

Les travaux présentés dans ce manuscrit portent sur la (co)polymérisation syndiosélective du styrène catalysée par des complexes de métaux du Groupe 3. La première partie est consacrée à l’optimisation des performances catalytiques de systèmes neutres de type {Cp/Flu}. Une série de précurseurs ansa-lanthanidocènes a été synthétisée et testée en homopolymérisation du styrène et en copolymérisation styrène-éthylène. Il a été montré que la nature de la substitution du motif fluorényle, la nature du centre métallique ainsi que les conditions de polymérisation ont une influence significative sur la productivité des catalyseurs. En conditions optimisées, des productivités maximales de 4,500 kg(sPS)·mol⁻¹·h⁻¹ et 5,430 kg(sPSE)·mol⁻¹·h⁻¹ ont été obtenues, démontrant la robustesse sans précédent de ces systèmes catalytiques en conditions extrêmes (Tpolym jusqu’à 140 °C et charge en monomère > 100,000). De nouveaux co- et terpolymères styrène-myrcène et styrène-myrcène-éthylène contenant des séquences de polystyrène syndiotactique ont également été synthétisés. La deuxième partie de ce travail porte sur le développement de nouveaux catalyseurs cationiques. Très peu des composés ciblés ont été isolés de par la réactivité déroutante entre les pro-ligands et les précurseurs ou la faible stabilité thermodynamique des produits. De plus, les productivités catalytiques des composés qui ont été isolés se sont avérées assez faibles. / The work presented in this thesis manuscript focuses on the syndioselective (co)polymerization of styrene catalyzed by Group 3 catalysts. The first part is dedicated to the optimization of the catalytic performances of neutral {Cp/Flu} systems. A series of new allyl ansa-lanthanidocenes was synthesized and explored in styrene and styrene-ethylene (co)polymerizations. It is shown that the substitution of the fluorenyl moiety as well as the nature of the metal center and the polymerization conditions exert a strong influence on the catalyst productivity. Under optimized conditions, maximum productivities of up to 4,500 kg(sPS)·mol⁻¹·h⁻¹ and 5,430 kg(sPSE)·mol⁻¹·h⁻¹ were achieved, highlighting the unprecedented robustness of those catalytic systems under drastic conditions (Tpolym up to 140 °C and monomer : catalyst ratios > 100,000). New styrene-myrcene(-ethylene) co- and terpolymers containing syndiotactic polystyrene sequences were also synthesized. The second part of the study was focused on the development of new cationic catalysts. Only a short series of compounds was successfully isolated among the targeted ones, because of unclear reactivity of pro-ligands and metal precursors and/or low thermodynamic stability of the products. The new isolated compounds were also used in styrene homopolymerization affording unexpectedly poor performances.

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Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

This thesis mainly deals with the development of photochemical approaches to immobilize carbohydrates on surfaces for glycobiological studies. These approaches have been incorporated into a number of state-of-the-art nanobio-platforms, including carbohydrate microarrays, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and glyconanomaterials. All the surfaces have displayed good binding capabilities and selectivities after functionalization with carbohydrates, and a range of important data have been obtained concerning surface characteristics and carbohydrate-protein interactions, based on the platforms established. Besides, a variety of non-carbohydrate and carbohydrate-based molecules have been synthesized, during which process the mutarotation of 1-glycosyl thiols and the stereocontrol in 1-S-glycosylation reactions have been thoroughly studied. / QC 20111004