Muamvatin (30) is a polypropionate natural product isolated from Siphonaria normalis by Ireland et al. in 1986. Muamvatin (30) is made from eight propionate units and contains an extraordinary trioxaadamantane ring system. This ring system exists in only one other naturally occurring polypropionate known as caloundrin B. Regarding the rare muamvatin trioxaadamantane ring system, it was hypothesized this ring system may not be formed via an enzymatic process and the actual natural product could be the linear precursor ent-71 which cyclizes to muamvatin (30) during isolation. The first total synthesis of muamvatin (30) by Paterson et al. confirmed its absolute and relative configuration, but the ambiguity regarding the origin of the trioxaadamantane ring system in this molecule remains unresolved. This work describes two approaches to make the linear precursor ent-71 from triol ketone 153. The carbon skeleton of muamvatin was synthesized through two iterative diastereoselective aldol reactions. In the first approach, “the thiopyran route”, the diene moiety of aldehyde 73 required protection to avoid reduction during desulfurization. Although use of the tircarbonyliron complex was successful, the trihydroxy ketone revealed upon desulfurization was unstable and spontaneously cyclized to bicyclic acetal 156. Molecular mechanics revealed that the relative configurations embedded in C3, C7, and C8 dramatically effected the stability of the corresponding bicyclic acetal. With that lesson learned, the fully assembled linear precursor 197 was made in our second approach “the acyclic route”. The oxidation state of the backbone oxygens were manipulated via an unusual chemoselective double Swern oxidation. Finally, revealing the sensitive 5-hydroxy-3,7,9-trione functionality formed the precursor 202. Efficient cyclization of precursor 202 and removal of the protecting group at C11-OH produced the desired natural product 30. The cyclization conditions tested on the linear precursor 202, suggested that although the cyclization to the trioxaadamantane is strongly favored thermodynamically, the process is very slow and unlikely to occur during the isolation process. Thus, formation of the trioxaadamantane ring system could be an enzyme-mediated process as was concluded for caloundrin B.

Ces travaux de thèse s'inscrivent dans un projet à long terme visant à développer de nouveaux outils nécessaires à l'élucidation de mécanismes biologiques impliquant des interactions de type protéine-protéine mettant en jeu des structures secondaires protéiques de type polyproline II (PPII). En particulier, nous nous sommes intéressés à la conception, synthèse et valorisation de spirolactames originaux capables de mimer une hélice PPII, point de départ dans la recherche de nouvelles molécules d'intérêts thérapeutiques. Cette structure secondaire unique, caractéristique des ligands SH3, joue un rôle essentiel dans certaines activités biologiques telles que les phénomènes de reconnaissance, la transduction de signal, la transcription, la mobilité cellulaire, les réponses immunitaires et se trouve aussi impliquée dans des pathologies majeures telles que le SIDA, la Maladie d'Alzheimer et plusieurs tumeurs cancéreuses. Face à l'importance des structures secondaires PPII dans des cibles d'intérêt thérapeutique, dans les phénomènes de reconnaissance protéine-protéine, et face à l'absence dans la littérature de mimes PPII pertinents, ces travaux se sont attachés à l'élaboration et la valorisation d'outils PPII contraints, stables vis-à-vis de la dégradation protéasique. Ils nous ont tout d'abord permis de développer un accès stéréocontrôlé à une plateforme spiro [4,4] inédite, en nous appuyant sur une réaction de contraction de cycle développée récemment dans notre groupe, le réarrangement transannulaire de lactames activés (TRAL). Les études de dynamique moléculaire, et de dichroïsme circulaire nous ont permis de démontrer que certains des composés spiro synthétisés adoptent une structure "PPII-like", d'autres semblent au contraire se structurer en coude bêta. / This work is part of a long term project with the aim to develop new tools for the elucidation of biological mechanisms involving protein-protein interactions with the participation of the protein secondary structure named polyproline type II (PPII). In particular, we are interested in the design, the synthesis and the development of original spirolactams as first mimics of PPII helix, the starting point in the discovery of new compounds of therapeutic interest. This unique secondary structure, characteristic of SH3 ligands, plays a critical role in various biological activities such as the phenomena of recognition, signal transduction, transcription, cell motility, immune responses and is also involved in major diseases such as AIDS, Alzheimer's disease and several carcinogenic tumors. Regarding the importance of the PPII secondary structures in targets of therapeutic interest and in the phenomena of protein-protein recognition, and observing the absence in the literature relevant PPII mimics, this thesis have focused on the development of constrained PPII tools, stable versus protease degradation. This work first allowed us to develop an stereocontroled access to a novel spiro [4.4] scaffold, relying on a new ring contraction reaction recently developed in our group, namely transannular rearrangement of activated lactams (TRAL) . Studies of molecular dynamics, and circular dichroism have demonstrated that some of the synthesized spiro compounds adopt a "PPII-like" structure, others seems to be structured in beta-turn.

This thesis deals with an enantioselective synthesis of cyclic compounds by using a combination of organocatalysis and transition metal catalysis. The thesis deals mainly with usage of aminocatalyst for activation of aldehydes and copper catalyst for activation of terminal triple bond. The first part is focused on the preparation of starting compounds for cyclizations (α-oxoesters, α- substituted nitroalkanes and α-substituted aldehydes). The second part concerns carbocyclization itself and optimization of reaction conditions to achieve highly stereoselective reaction. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Thesis advisor: Amir H. Hoveyda / Chapter 1. The first examples of highly Z- and enantioselective ring-opening/cross-metathesis reactions are disclosed. Transformations involve meso cyclic olefin substrate and styrenes or enol ethers as olefin cross partners. A stereogenic-at-Mo monoaryloxide monopyrrolide (MAP) complex, prepared and used in situ, is discovered for the efficient formation of Z olefins. Such complex, bearing a relatively smaller adamantylimido and a larger chiral aryloxide ligand, leads to kinetic Z-selectivity due to the size differential. In most cases, the resulting disubstituted Z olefins are formed with excellent stereoselectivity (>95% Z). Chapter 2. The protocols for efficient Z-selective formation of macrocyclic disubstituted alkenes through catalytic ring-closing metathesis (RCM) is described. Stereoselective cyclizations are performed with either Mo- or W-based monoaryloxide monopyrrolide (MAP) complex at 22 oC. Synthetic utility of such broadly applicable transformation is demonstrated by synthesis of several macrocyclic natural products: relatively simpler molecules such as epilachnene (91% Z) and ambrettolide (91% Z), as well as advanced precursors to epothilones C and A (97% Z) and nakadomarin A (94% Z). Several principles of catalytic stereoselective olefin metathesis reactions are summarized based on the studies: 1) Mo-based catalysts are capable of delivering high activity but can be more prone to post-RCM isomerization. 2) W-based catalysts, though furnish lower activity, are less likely to cause the loss of kinetic Z selectivity by isomerization. 3) Reaction time is critical for retaining the stereoselectivity gained from kinetic, which not only applicable with MAP complexes but potentially with other complexes as well. 4) By using W-based catalyst, polycyclic alkenes can be accessed with sequential RCM reactions, without significant erosion of the existing Z olefins in the molecule. Chapter 3. An enantioselective total synthesis of anti-proliferative agent (+)-neopeltolide is presented. The total synthesis is accomplished in 11 steps for the longest linear sequence and 28 steps in total, including 8 catalytic reactions. Particularly, several Mo- or Ru-catalyzed stereoselective olefin metathesis reactions as well as N-hetereocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed enantioselective boron conjugate addition to an acyclic enoate have proven to be effective for convergent construction of the molecule. The most important novelty of the study incorporates the explorations of feasibility of Z-selective cross-metathesis reactions to solve the challenge of installing two Z olefins with excellent selectivity. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Chemistry.

Having access to mild and operationally simple techniques for attaining carbohydrate targets will be necessary to facilitate advancement in biological, medicinal, and pharmacological research. Even with the abundance of elegant reports for generating glycosidic linkages, the stereoselective construction of alpha- and beta-oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates is by no means trivial. In an era when expanded awareness of the impact we are having on the environment drives the state-of-the-art, synthetic chemists are tasked with developing cleaner and more efficient reactions for achieving their transformations. This movement imparts the value that prevention of waste is always superior to its treatment or cleanup. Chapter 1 of this thesis will highlight recent advancement, in this regard, by examining strategies that employ transition metal catalysis in the synthesis of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. These methods are mild and effective for constructing glycosidic bonds with reduced levels of waste through utilization of sub-stoichiometric amounts of transition metals to promote the glycosylation. The development of a general and practical method for the stereoselective synthesis of beta-O-aryl-glycosides that exploits the nature of a cationic palladium(II) catalyst, instead of a C(2)-ester directing group, to control the beta-selectivity is described in chapter 2. The beta-glycosylation protocol is highly diastereoselective and requires 2-3 mol % of Pd(CH3CN)4(BF4)2 to activate glycosyl trichloroacetimidate donors at room temperature. The method has been applied to D-glucose, D-galactose, and D-xylose donors with a non-directing group incorporated at the C(2)-position to provide the O-aryl glycosides with good to excellent beta-selectivity. In addition, its application is widespread to electron-donating, electron-withdrawing, and hindered phenols. The glycosylation is likely to proceed through a seven-member ring intermediate, wherein the palladium catalyst coordinates both the C(1)-trichloroacetimidate nitrogen and C(2)-ether oxygen, blocking the alpha-face. As a result, the phenol nucleophile preferentially approaches from the top face of the activated donor, leading to the formation of the beta-O-aryl glycoside. The area of sugar urea derivatives has received considerable attention in recent years because of the unique structural properties and activities that these compounds display. The urea-linkage at the anomeric center is a robust alternative to the naturally occurring O- and N-glycosidic linkages of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates, and the natural products that have been identified to contain these structures show remarkable biological activity. While methods for installing the beta-urea-linkage at the anomeric center have been around for decades, the first synthesis of alpha-urea glycosides has been much more recent. In either case, the selective synthesis of glycosyl ureas can be quite challenging, and a mixture of alph- and beta-isomers will often result. Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive review of the synthetic approaches to alpha- and beta-urea glycosides and examines the structure and activity of the natural products, and their analogues, that have been identified to contain them. There are only a handful of reports for the construction of beta-urea glycosides, and even fewer that are able to attain the alpha-urea structures. Chapter 4 will cover two of these methods, where a transition metal catalyst is employed to facilitate the alpha-selective transformation. The 1st-generation process, covered in section 4.1, involves the cationic palladium(II)-catalyzed rearrangement of glycal trichloroacetimidate to alpha-glycal trichloroacetamide in its key step. The transformation is carried out with only 0.5 mol% Pd(CH3CN)4(BF4)2 catalyst and is both highly alpha-selective and tolerant to a diverse array of protecting groups. The glycal product of the rearrangement is functionalized to pyranoside, protected, and then converted to glycosyl urea in 3-steps. A diverse array of primary and hindered secondary nitrogen nucleophiles have been coupled with the alpha-acetamide products, generating alpha-urea glycosides with retention of stereochemical integrity at the anomeric center. This is the first synthesis of alpha-glycosyl urea to rely on the nature of the catalyst/ligand complex, rather than substrate, to control selectivity. This method, however, suffers from limitations in scope and a dependence on toxic osmium tetroxide to functionalize the glycal. In section 4.2, the development and mechanistic investigation of a 2nd-generation process, able to overcome the limitations of the glycal methodology to provide an efficient and highly stereoselective access to alpha-urea glycosides, is decribed. This two-step procedure begins with a highly selective nickel-catalyzed conversion of alpha-glycosyl trichloroacetimidate to alpha-trichloroacetamide. The alpha-selectivity in the reaction is controlled with a cationic nickel(II) catalyst, Ni(dppe)(OTf)2. Mechanistic studies have identified a coordination of the nickel catalyst with equatorial C2-ether group of the glycosyl trichloroacetimidate to be paramount for achieving an á-selective transformation. A cross-over experiment has indicated that the reaction does not proceed in an exclusively-intramolecular fashion. The alpha-trichloroacetamide products are directly converted into alpha-urea glycosides by reacting them with a variety of nucleophilic amines in presence of cesium carbonate. Only alpha-urea products are observed, as the reaction retains stereochemical integrity at the anomeric center during the urea-forming step.

This thesis describes the total synthesis of the polyketide derived marine natural product (-)-maurenone (14) and synthetic studies of a model system for the marine polyketides, the spiculoic acids (20, 22-24). A biomimetic approach involving cyclisation of linear polyketide precursors to install the complex chemical frameworks was employed. Maurenone is a polypropionate derived metabolite isolated from pulmonate molluscs collected off the coast of Costa Rica. While structural assignment following isolation revealed a relatively uncommon tetra-substituted dihydropyrone moiety the only stereochemical information deduced was the trans-relative relationship between the C8 and C9 protons. The total synthesis of a series of eight stereoisomeric putative structures was achieved in order to assign the stereochemistry of (-)-maurenone (14), as that depicted above. A time and cost efficient strategy was developed utilising common intermediates providing access to the eight stereoisomeric structures in a convergent manner. Six key fragments, four aldehydes (109) and two ketones (110), were synthesised using highly diastereoselective syn- and anti-boron aldol reactions and were coupled using a lithium-mediated aldol reaction. Trifluoroacetic acid-promoted cyclisation/dehydration enabled installation the ƒ×-dihydropyrone ring. All eight isomers of one enantiomeric series were synthesised by coupling two ketones with each of four aldehydes. By comparison of the NMR data for the eight isomers with that reported for the natural product, the relative stereochemistry was established as shown. The (-)-enantiomer of maurenone was synthesised in nine linear steps (13 % overall yield) from (R)-2-benzylpentan-3-one ((R)-40) and (R)-2-benzoyloxypentan-3-one ((R)-39). The spiculoic acid family of polyketide derived natural products, isolated from plakortis sponges, possess a unique [4.3.0]-bicyclic core which is proposed to be formed via an enzyme catalysed Intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) cycloaddition reaction of linear polyene precursors 25. Model linear precursors (114), possessing various olefin geometries at C2 and both stereochemical orientations of the C5 stereocentre, were synthesised in order to examine stereoselectivity of the thermally induced IMDA cycloaddition reaction. The two alternative C4-C6 stereotriads of the linear precursors 114 were achieved by employing highly diastereoselective substrate-controlled aldol reactions; an anti-boron aldol reaction, controlled by the facial preference of (R)-2-benzoyloxypentan-3-one ((R)-39), and a syn-titanium aldol reaction, under the control of chiral N-acylthiazolidinethione ((R)-43a). The diene and dienophile moieties were installed using either standard Wittig, H.W.E. or ¡§modified¡¨ Julia olefination reactions. A thorough stereochemical assignment of the cycloadducts of the thermally induced IMDA reaction of each linear precursor was accomplished employing 2D NMR techniques. Comparison of the stereochemistry of each of the cycloadducts with the spiculoic acids revealed that the linear precursor (2E,5S)-114 produced a cycloadduct 232 with stereochemistry analogous to the natural products in 94 % diastereoselectivity. Thus, a synthetic approach to the spiculoic acids via synthesis of a linear precursor 285 possessing a TBS ether at C5 in the S configuration was proposed. Unfortunately, problems encountered in the synthesis of the proposed linear precursors to the spiculoic acids ultimately prevented the total synthesis from being achieved.

<p>Cetirizine, an H₁-antihistamine, is prescribed for allergic disorders. It exists as a racemic mixture, with levocetirizine being the active enantiomer. The central nervous system side-effects of H₁-antihistamines are caused by their penetration into the brain. In this thesis the plasma pharmacokinetics, transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and H₁ receptor occupancy of cetirizine enantiomers was investigated <i>in vivo</i> in guinea pigs. The transport across the BBB was quantified using the microdialysis technique. Stereoselective brain distribution was investigated by measuring both unbound and total concentrations in plasma and brain. The time aspects of the H₁ receptor occupancy of levocetirizine was studied in the brain and the periphery.</p><p>The plasma pharmacokinetics of cetirizine was stereoselective with clearance and volume of distribution of levocetirizine being approximately half that of dextrocetirizine. This was mainly due to the differences in plasma protein binding of the enantiomers. The stereoselectivity in brain distribution indicated by the partition coefficient K_p (total AUC ratio brain to plasma) was caused by stereoselective plasma protein binding. The transport across the BBB measured in this thesis by the unbound partition coefficient K_p,uu (unbound AUC ratio brain to plasma) was the same for the two enantiomers. Binding within the brain was also not significantly different. The H₁ receptor occupancy of levocetirizine in brain lagged behind the plasma concentrations whereas it was not delayed with respect to the brain concentrations. This indicates that the delayed brain H₁ receptor occupancy of levocetirizine is caused by a slow transport across the BBB.</p><p>In summary, the results of this thesis emphasize the importance of measuring both the unbound and total concentrations in blood and brain to characterize stereoselective brain distribution. The thesis also emphasize the importance of taking local brain pharmacokinetics into consideration in understanding pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships of drugs with central activity.</p>

Cetirizine, an H1-antihistamine, is prescribed for allergic disorders. It exists as a racemic mixture, with levocetirizine being the active enantiomer. The central nervous system side-effects of H1-antihistamines are caused by their penetration into the brain. In this thesis the plasma pharmacokinetics, transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and H1 receptor occupancy of cetirizine enantiomers was investigated in vivo in guinea pigs. The transport across the BBB was quantified using the microdialysis technique. Stereoselective brain distribution was investigated by measuring both unbound and total concentrations in plasma and brain. The time aspects of the H1 receptor occupancy of levocetirizine was studied in the brain and the periphery. The plasma pharmacokinetics of cetirizine was stereoselective with clearance and volume of distribution of levocetirizine being approximately half that of dextrocetirizine. This was mainly due to the differences in plasma protein binding of the enantiomers. The stereoselectivity in brain distribution indicated by the partition coefficient Kp (total AUC ratio brain to plasma) was caused by stereoselective plasma protein binding. The transport across the BBB measured in this thesis by the unbound partition coefficient Kp,uu (unbound AUC ratio brain to plasma) was the same for the two enantiomers. Binding within the brain was also not significantly different. The H1 receptor occupancy of levocetirizine in brain lagged behind the plasma concentrations whereas it was not delayed with respect to the brain concentrations. This indicates that the delayed brain H1 receptor occupancy of levocetirizine is caused by a slow transport across the BBB. In summary, the results of this thesis emphasize the importance of measuring both the unbound and total concentrations in blood and brain to characterize stereoselective brain distribution. The thesis also emphasize the importance of taking local brain pharmacokinetics into consideration in understanding pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships of drugs with central activity.

Homogeneous palladium-catalyzed Heck vinylation of aryl chlorides was investigated under air using Herrmann’s palladacycle and the P(t-Bu)3-liberating salt [(t-Bu)3PH]BF4. Based on the results, controlled microwave heating was utilized to accelerate model Heck reactions with aryl chlorides down to 30 min employing an electron-poor olefin and a mixture of an ionic liquid and 1,4-dioxane as solvent. For the first time, a highly regioselective general protocol has been developed for palladium-catalyzed terminal (β-) arylation of acyclic vinyl ethers using inexpensive aryl chlorides as starting materials and the preligand [(t-Bu)3PH]BF4 as the key additive. This swift and straightforward protocol exploits non-inert conditions and controlled microwave heating to reduce handling and processing times, and aqueous DMF or environmentally friendly PEG-200 as the reaction medium. Somewhat higher selectivity for the linear β-product was observed in PEG-200. DFT calculations were performed at the B3LYP level of theory for the regioselectivity-determining insertion step in the Heck reaction following the neutral pathway. A series of para-substituted phenylpalladium(II) complexes was investigated in the computational study. The calculations support a ligand-driven selectivity rationale, where the electronic and steric influence of the bulky P(t-Bu)3 ligand provides improved β-selectivity. The preparative methodology was used to synthesize the β-adrenergic blocking agent Betaxolol. Highly stereoselective Pd(0)-catalyzed β-arylation and β-vinylation of a tetra-substituted cyclopentenyl ether have been accomplished using a chiral, pyrrolidine-based and substrate-bound palladium(II)-directing group under neutral reaction conditions. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this P(t-Bu)3-mediated method represents the first examples of the successful utilization of aryl and vinyl chlorides in asymmetric Heck reactions. The Heck arylation products formed were hydrolyzed and isolated as the corresponding quaternary 2-aryl-2-methyl cyclopentanones in good to moderate two-step yields with excellent stereoselectivity (90-96% ee). Inclusion of vinyl triflates under neutral reaction conditions and one aryl triflate equipped with a strongly electron-withdrawing para-cyano substituent under cationic conditions increased the preparative usefulness of the methodology. Furthermore, diastereoselective Heck arylation of both five- and six-membered cyclic vinyl ethers with aryl bromides, using the identical chiral auxiliary and suitable Pd sources, was performed. Arylated products from the tetra-substituted cyclopentenyl ether were also in this case hydrolyzed to the corresponding 2-aryl-2-methyl cyclopentanones with high to excellent enantioselectivity (85-94% ee). Despite low reaction rates and relatively modest yields, arylation reactions with the tri-substituted cyclohexenyl ether were found to be highly diastereoselective (94-98% de). Thus, an attractive supplement to direct Pd(0)-catalyzed α-arylation protocols, particularly when the use of organic chlorides, aryl bromides, and milder reaction conditions are of great importance, have been developed.

In efforts to search for tool compounds that are capable of probing normal and disease-associated biological processes, both quality and identity of the screening collection are very important. Towards this goal, diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) has been explored for a decade, which aims to populate the chemical space with diverse sets of small molecules distinct from the traditional ones obtained via combinatorial chemistry. In the practice of DOS, macrocyclic ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reactions have been widely used. However, the prediction and control of stereoselectivity of the reaction is often challenging; chemical transformation of the olefin moiety within the product is in general limited. Chapter I of this thesis describes a methodology that addresses both problems simultaneously and thus extends the utility of the RCM reactions. By installing a silyl group at the internal position of one of the olefin termini, the RCM reaction could proceed with high stereoselectivity to afford the (E)-alkenylsiloxane regardless of the intrinsic selectivity of the substrate. The resulting alkenylsiloxane can be transformed to a variety of functionalities in a regiospecific fashion. The conversion of the (E)-alkenylsiloxanes to alkenyl bromides could proceed with inversion of stereochemistry for some substrates allowing the selective access of both the E- and Z-trisubstituted macrocyclic alkenes. It was also found that the silyl group could trap the desired mono-cyclized product by suppressing nonproductive pathways. Chapter II of this thesis describes the application of the concept of DOS in the area of fragment-based drug discovery. Most fragment libraries used to date have been limited to aromatic heterocycles with an underrepresentation of chiral, enantiopure, \(sp^3\)-rich compounds. In order to create a more diverse fragment collection, the build/couple/pair algorithm was adopted. Starting from proline derivatives, a series of bicyclic compounds were obtained with complete sets of stereoisomers and high \(sp^3\) ratio. Efforts are also described toward the generation of diverse fragments using methodology described in Chapter I. The glycogen synthase kinase \((GSK3\beta)\) was selected as the proof-of-concept target for screening the DOS fragments. / Chemistry and Chemical Biology