Recent advances in C(sp³)–H bond functionalization via metal–carbene insertions

• Bo Wang,
• Di Qiu,
• Yan Zhang and
• Jianbo Wang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 796–804, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.78

• high selectivities in many cases [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], and they have been successfully incorporated into the steps in natural product synthesis. Herein some selected recent examples are highlighted. The C–H bond insertions at the α-positions of oxygen or nitrogen Attributed to

Beyond catalyst deactivation: cross-metathesis involving olefins containing N-heteroaromatics

• Kevin Lafaye,
• Cyril Bosset,
• Lionel Nicolas,
• Amandine Guérinot and
• Janine Cossy

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 2223–2241, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.241

• toolbox [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Since its infancy in the 50’s, metathesis has grown in importance and, today, applications in a broad variety of areas such as natural product synthesis [7][8][9][10][11], polymerization [12], drug discovery [7], petrochemistry or agricultural chemistry have been reported. One

Stereochemistry of ring-opening/cross metathesis reactions of exo- and endo-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-2-carbonitriles with allyl alcohol and allyl acetate

• Piotr Wałejko,
• Michał Dąbrowski,
• Lech Szczepaniak,
• Jacek W. Morzycki and
• Stanisław Witkowski

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 1893–1901, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.204

• natural product synthesis [13][14][15][16][17]. One of the most promising approaches to solve this problem seemed to be the metathetic opening of substituted 7-oxanorbornenes, which was first developed by Blechert and co-workers [18][19]. They started with the ring-opening of strained alkenes (mostly 7

The Shono-type electroorganic oxidation of unfunctionalised amides. Carbon–carbon bond formation via electrogenerated N-acyliminium ions

• Alan M. Jones and
• Craig E. Banks

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 3056–3072, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.323

• product synthesis The synthesis of natural products is considered a good test of the synthetic potential of a new reaction. The Shono-type oxidation has proved itself in the following syntheses. Hurvois and colleagues have reported an electrochemical asymmetric synthesis of (+)-myrtine (66) as shown in

• ) [76][77]. The ability to introduce two carbon–carbon bonds on to the same α-carbon to prepare spirocyclic systems is a challenge, yet the application of electrochemistry in tandem with ring closing metathesis (RCM) readily achieved this feat. The use of the Shono-type electrooxidation in natural

Recent advances in the electrochemical construction of heterocycles

• Robert Francke

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 2858–2873, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.303

• example for the use of such an electrochemically induced cycloaddition in natural product synthesis. The cyclization method was used for the generation of structures 54–56 (Scheme 20), which represent model compounds for euglobals, natural products which can be obtained by extraction of eucalyptus leaves

Relay cross metathesis reactions of vinylphosphonates

• Raj K. Malla,
• Jeremy N. Ridenour and
• Christopher D. Spilling

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1933–1941, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.201

• combing organic fragments in natural product synthesis, the value of vinylphosphonates as synthetic intermediates would increase if their reactivity could be enhanced to a level where they would participate in cross metathesis reactions. As an example, we recently described a method for the formal

Application of cyclic phosphonamide reagents in the total synthesis of natural products and biologically active molecules

• Thilo Focken and
• Stephen Hanessian

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 1848–1877, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.195

• α-alkyl phosphonamide, respectively [36]. Michael reactions The application of chiral, cyclic phosphonamides such as 28c in asymmetric Michael-type reactions has proven to be a powerful tool in natural product synthesis to generate up to three contiguous stereogenic centers in a single step with a

Use of activated enol ethers in the synthesis of pyrazoles: reactions with hydrazine and a study of pyrazole tautomerism

• Denisa Tarabová,
• Stanislava Šoralová,
• Martin Breza,
• Marek Fronc,
• Wolfgang Holzer and
• Viktor Milata

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 752–760, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.70

• and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Radlinského 9, SK-812 37 Bratislava, Slovakia Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University in Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, SK-832 32 Bratislava, Slovakia Department of Drug and Natural Product Synthesis, Vienna

Recent applications of the divinylcyclopropane–cycloheptadiene rearrangement in organic synthesis

• Sebastian Krüger and
• Tanja Gaich

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 163–193, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.14

• cyclohepta[cd]oxindole core 32 proved the synthetic versatility of a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement for direct C–C-bond formation at the C4 position of the indole nucleus, and thus provides experimental evidence for the biosynthetic proposal. Applications to natural product synthesis Fatty acid metabolites

Total synthesis of (+)-grandiamide D, dasyclamide and gigantamide A from a Baylis–Hillman adduct: A unified biomimetic approach

• Andivelu Ilangovan and
• Shanmugasundar Saravanakumar

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 127–133, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.9

• ). The spectral data is in accordance with the published data for natural dasyclamide [7] which further confirms the structure of the natural product. Synthesis of gigantamide A As given in the retrosynthetic analysis and based on the preference in literature for the preparation of jatropham by

The renaissance of organic radical chemistry – deja vu all over again

• Corey R. J. Stephenson,
• Armido Studer and
• Dennis P. Curran

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2778–2780, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.312

• ][14][15][16], e) radical trifluoromethylation [17] and radical fluorination [18][19][20], f) natural product synthesis [21], g) new main group radical chemistry involving elements like boron [22], phosphorous [23] and selenium [24], tellurium [25], among others, h) synthesis or functionalization of

Garner’s aldehyde as a versatile intermediate in the synthesis of enantiopure natural products

• Mikko Passiniemi and
• Ari M.P. Koskinen

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2641–2659, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.300

• deleterious epimerization of the existing stereocenter in Garner’s aldehyde. Keywords: asymmetric synthesis; Garner’s aldehyde; natural product synthesis; L-serine; Introduction “The universe is a dissymmetrical whole. I am inclined to think that life, as manifested to us, must be a function of the

• for the introduction of chirality to substrates. This review presents a general overview of the synthesis and use of Garner’s aldehyde in natural product synthesis. Particular attention will be paid on the preservation of chiral information in the addition reaction of nucleophiles to the aldehyde

• °C, then (S)-1, toluene, −95 °C (57%); (b) 61, n-BuLi, ZnCl2, toluene, −78 °C, then (S)-1, toluene, −95 °C (72%). Olefin A as an intermediate in natural product synthesis. (a) Ph3(Me)PBr, KH, benzene (66%, rac-64) or (b) AlMe3, Zn, CH2I2, THF (76%) [101]; (c) Ph3(Me)PBr, n-BuLi, THF, −75 °C, then (S

Stereodivergent synthesis of jaspine B and its isomers using a carbohydrate-derived alkoxyallene as C₃-building block

• Volker M. Schmiedel,
• Stefano Stefani and
• Hans-Ulrich Reissig

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2564–2569, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.291

• . Keywords: chiral auxiliaries; gold catalysis; jaspine B; lithiated alkoxyallenes; natural product synthesis; pachastrissamine; tetrahydrofurans; Introduction Jaspine B, also known as pachastrissamine (1, Scheme 1), is an anhydrophytosphingosine derivative, isolated 2002 from the marine sponge Pachastrissa

Bidirectional cross metathesis and ring-closing metathesis/ring opening of a C₂-symmetric building block: a strategy for the synthesis of decanolide natural products

• Bernd Schmidt and
• Oliver Kunz

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2544–2555, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.289

• ; natural products; ruthenium; Introduction Bidirectional synthesis through termini differentiation of meso, C2-symmetric or unsymmetric building blocks has emerged as an important strategy in natural product synthesis over the past two decades [1]. Early on, enantiomerically pure C2-symmetric compounds

Transition-metal and organocatalysis in natural product synthesis

• David Yu-Kai Chen and
• Dawei Ma

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 1192–1193, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.134

• problems to be investigated. As such, this catalytic cycle of discovery fueled by natural-product synthesis continues to capture and captivate the imagination of both practitioners and students of organic chemistry around the world and will do so far beyond the foreseeable future. In particular, the recent

• natural products, a field of organic chemistry that is both historical and contemporary, has undoubtedly entered a new paradigm over the past decade with the advent of revolutionary new synthetic methods and innovative synthetic concepts. Putting aside the downstream applications of natural-product

• synthesis in the interrogation of biological processes, elucidation of biogenetic origins, structural assignments and many others, its fundamental and indispensable value as a vehicle for the discovery of new synthetic transformations is well-testified and unparalleled by any other research discipline over

Formal synthesis of (−)-agelastatin A: an iron(II)-mediated cyclization strategy

• Daisuke Shigeoka,
• Takuma Kamon and
• Takehiko Yoshimitsu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 860–865, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.99

• redox states were operative. Keywords: agelastatin; aminohalogenation; iron(II); free radical; natural product synthesis; Introduction Marine organisms often produce bioactive substances that potentially serve as attractive resources for drug discovery. (−)-Agelastatin A (AA, 1), a cytotoxic alkaloid

Alternaric acid: formal synthesis and related studies

• Michael C. Slade and
• Jeffrey S. Johnson

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 166–172, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.19

• endeavors, both in natural-product synthesis and synthetic methodologies [20]. Key to their use in a variety of contexts is the ability of silyl glyoxylates to function as linchpin synthons for geminal coupling of nucleophile/electrophile pairs at a glycolic acid subunit (Scheme 1A), which allows the rapid

Dipyrazolo[1,5-a:4',3'-c]pyridines – a new heterocyclic system accessed via multicomponent reaction

• Wolfgang Holzer,
• Gytė Vilkauskaitė,
• Eglė Arbačiauskienė and
• Algirdas Šačkus

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 2223–2229, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.251

• Wolfgang Holzer Gyte Vilkauskaite Egle Arbaciauskiene Algirdas Sackus Department of Drug and Natural Product Synthesis, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria Institute of Synthetic Chemistry, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilėnų pl. 19

Arylglycine-derivative synthesis via oxidative sp³ C–H functionalization of α-amino esters

• Zhanwei Xu,
• Xiaoqiang Yu,
• Xiujuan Feng and
• Ming Bao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 1564–1568, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.178

• derivatives represent important synthetic intermediates or building blocks for drug development and natural-product synthesis [1][2]. The arylglycine moiety also occurs in several bioactive natural products [3]. Consequently, the development of convenient and efficient methods for the preparation of

Highly enantioselective access to cannabinoid-type tricyles by organocatalytic Diels–Alder reactions

• Stefan Bräse,
• Nicole Volz,
• Franziska Gläser and
• Martin Nieger

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 1385–1392, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.160

• synthesis. Keywords: cannabinoids; Diels–Alder reaction; natural product synthesis; organocatalysis; Introduction The Diels–Alder reaction is one of the most important processes for carbon–carbon-bond formation in organic chemistry [1][2]. Especially in the synthesis of natural products it is a widely

• used method [3][4][5][6][7]. Some examples are shown in Figure 1. The first application was the total synthesis of the steroid Cortisone (1) in 1952 by Woodward et al. [8]. Another example, indicating the importance of the well-known [4 + 2] cycloaddition in natural-product synthesis, is the first

Unprecedented deoxygenation at C-7 of the ansamitocin core during mutasynthetic biotransformations

• Tobias Knobloch,
• Gerald Dräger,
• Wera Collisi,
• Florenz Sasse and
• Andreas Kirschning

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 861–869, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.96

• pursued in industrial research [1][2][3]. Investigations into the biosynthesis of natural products have not only allowed us to understand the synthetic principles that nature pursues, but have also provided tools, mainly based on genetic engineering, which can be exploited in natural product synthesis [4

Stereoselective, nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascades for the direct synthesis of heavily decorated 5-nitropiperidin-2-ones and related heterocycles

• Pavol Jakubec,
• Dane M. Cockfield,
• Madeleine Helliwell,
• James Raftery and
• Darren J. Dixon

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 567–578, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.64

• to transform it into a general synthetic tool of use in both medicinal chemistry and natural-product synthesis. Results and Discussion To allow us to further explore the nitro-Mannich/lactamisation cascade, a range of Michael adducts 6a–e were synthesised on a gram scale by the reaction of active

• -Mannich/lactamisation cascade to be of use in alkaloid natural-product synthesis (or even simple stereoselective piperidine synthesis), controlled, reductive manipulation of both the nitro group and the lactam carbonyl were required. Although Nef-type oxidation followed by exhaustive reduction of the

Directed aromatic functionalization in natural-product synthesis: Fredericamycin A, nothapodytine B, and topopyrones B and D

• Charles Dylan Turner and
• Marco A. Ciufolini

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 1475–1485, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.171

Cationic gold(I) axially chiral biaryl bisphosphine complex-catalyzed atropselective synthesis of heterobiaryls

• Tetsuro Shibuya,
• Kyosuke Nakamura and
• Ken Tanaka

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 944–950, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.105

• synthesis [1][2][3][4] has attracted significant interest due to its great utility in asymmetric catalysis and natural product synthesis. In 2004, three research groups, including ours, independently reported transition-metal catalyzed asymmetric [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions to produce axially chiral

Synthetic applications of gold-catalyzed ring expansions

• David Garayalde and
• Cristina Nevado

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 767–780, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.87

• application of these methodologies into more complex settings, such as natural product synthesis. In summary, gold-catalyzed ring expansions of strained rings can now be considered a mature tool for the construction of molecular complexity and thus are to be incorporated in to the toolbox of the synthetic