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Total synthesis of (+/-) maculalactone A, maculalactone B and maculalactone C and the determination of the absolute configuration of natural (+) maculalactone A by asymmetric synthesis

Brown, G.D. and Wong, H.F. (2004) Total synthesis of (+/-) maculalactone A, maculalactone B and maculalactone C and the determination of the absolute configuration of natural (+) maculalactone A by asymmetric synthesis. Tetrahedron, 60 (25). pp. 5439-5451. ISSN 0040-4020

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To link to this item DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2004.04.060

Abstract/Summary

Maculalactones A, B and C from the marine cyanobacterium Kyrtuthrix maculans are amongst the only compounds based on the tribenzylbutyrolactone skeleton known in nature and (+) maculalactone A from the natural source possesses significant biological activity against various marine herbivores and marine settlers. We now report a concise synthesis of racemic maculalactone A in five steps from inexpensive starting materials. Maculalactones B and C were synthesized by a minor modification to this procedure, and the synthetic design also permitted an asymmetric synthesis of maculalactone A to be achieved in around 85% ee. The (+) and (-) enantiomers of maculalactone A were assigned, respectively, to the S and R configurations on the basis of the chiral selectivity expected for catecholborane reduction of an unsymmetrical ketone in the presence of Corey's oxazoborolidine catalyst. Surprisingly, it appeared that natural (+) maculalactone A was biosynthesized in K. maculans in a partially racemic form, comprising ca. 90-95% of the (S) enantiomer and 5-10% of its (R) enantiomer. Coincidentally therefore, the percentage enantiomeric excess of the product obtained from asymmetric synthesis almost exactly matched that found in nature. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Chemistry
ID Code:11065
Uncontrolled Keywords:marine metabolites, asymmetric synthesis, Grignard reactions/reagents, NMR, KYRTUTHRIX-MACULANS, ENANTIOSELECTIVE REDUCTION, HYDROGENATION, REACTIONS, STOBBE CONDENSATION, ACID, ASSIGNMENT, ANHYDRIDE, CATALYST, PRODUCTS, KETONES

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