Revisiting the ‘Phenonium Phenomenon’: Regiodivergent Opening of Nonsymmetrical Phenonium Ions with Halide Nucleophiles

Formation of phenonium ions through anchimeric assistance (neighboring-group participation) of aryl rings has been known since 1949. Although these reactive intermediates have been studied extensively by physical organic chemists, their potential as control elements in synthesis is underutilized. Presented here are our laboratory’s recently reported first examples of regiodivergent openings of nonsymmetrical phenonium ions with chloride nucleophiles. The selectivity of these processes is under reagent control. The reactions are operationally simple and permit the stereospecific synthesis of complex chiral building blocks from readily accessible epoxide starting materials.1 Introduction2 Select Examples of Phenonium Ion Methodology3 Regiodivergent Opening of Nonsymmetrical Phenonium Ions4 Summary and Outlook

The Cyclic Nitronate Route to Pharmaceutical Molecules: Synthesis of GSK’s Potent PDE4 Inhibitor as a Case Study

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of GlaxoSmithKline’s potent PDE4 inhibitor was accomplished in eight steps from a catechol-derived nitroalkene. The key intermediate (3-acyloxymethyl-substituted 1,2-oxazine) was prepared in a straightforward manner by tandem acylation/(3,3)-sigmatropic rearrangement of the corresponding 1,2-oxazine-N-oxide. The latter was assembled by a (4 + 2)-cycloaddition between the suitably substituted nitroalkene and vinyl ether. Facile acetal epimerization at the C-6 position in 1,2-oxazine ring was observed in the course of reduction with NaBH3CN in AcOH. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the epimerization may proceed through an unusual tricyclic oxazolo(1,2)oxazinium cation formed via double anchimeric assistance from a distant acyloxy group and the nitrogen atom of the 1,2-oxazine ring.

Synthesis of 3-Azidopropyl-Functionalized GalNAc-β-(1→4)-Gal Natural Disaccharide

Oligosaccharides such as the GalNAc-β-(1→4)-Gal disaccharide are involved in host-pathogen interactions and their synthesis is a continuing challenge for organic chemists. Only a few reports have discussed the synthesis of functionalized GalNAc-β-(1→4)-Gal for its further conjugation and applications in glycobiology. The synthetic route described here is taking advantage of (1) a simple and affordable GlcNAc donor which is epimerized to the more expensive GalNAc donor and (2) a 1,6-anhydro-galactose acceptor exalting the reactivity at the 4-position of galactose. The allyloxycarbonyl (Alloc) protecting group used at the 2-position of the GalNAc residue was important (1) for a successful epimerization of the GlcNAc residue into the corresponding GalNAc donor but also (2) for the stereoselective β-glycosylation through anchimeric assistance. The key disaccharide intermediate was further transformed to a trichloroacetimidate donor which could then be glycosylated with any alcohol. The example chosen here is the 3-azidopropyl aglycon for the design of multivalent glycoclusters.<br>

Synthesis of 3-Azidopropyl-Functionalized GalNAc-β-(1→4)-Gal Natural Disaccharide

Oligosaccharides such as the GalNAc-β-(1→4)-Gal disaccharide are involved in host-pathogen interactions and their synthesis is a continuing challenge for organic chemists. Only a few reports have discussed the synthesis of functionalized GalNAc-β-(1→4)-Gal for its further conjugation and applications in glycobiology. The synthetic route described here is taking advantage of (1) a simple and affordable GlcNAc donor which is epimerized to the more expensive GalNAc donor and (2) a 1,6-anhydro-galactose acceptor exalting the reactivity at the 4-position of galactose. The allyloxycarbonyl (Alloc) protecting group used at the 2-position of the GalNAc residue was important (1) for a successful epimerization of the GlcNAc residue into the corresponding GalNAc donor but also (2) for the stereoselective β-glycosylation through anchimeric assistance. The key disaccharide intermediate was further transformed to a trichloroacetimidate donor which could then be glycosylated with any alcohol. The example chosen here is the 3-azidopropyl aglycon for the design of multivalent glycoclusters.<br>

2-O-Benzyloxycarbonyl protected glycosyl donors: a revival of carbonate-mediated anchimeric assistance for diastereoselective glycosylation

Benzyloxycarbonyl can be used as participating group for the diastereoselective glycosylation of base-labile products and the synthesis of glycosyl esters.