Hidetoshi Tokuyama

In vivo biological behavior of a water-miscible fullerene: 14C labeling, absorption, distribution, excretion and acute toxicity

BACKGROUND Water-soluble fullerenes have recently been shown to exhibit considerable in vitro biological activity including cytotoxicity, site-selective DNA cleavage and inhibition of HIV protease. To assess the potential of these compounds as drugs, studies on the in vivo behavior of fullerenes are needed. We therefore set out to synthesize a radiolabeled, water-soluble fullerene, in order to obtain data on the oral absorption, distribution and excretion of this class of compounds. RESULTS We synthesized a 14C-labeled water-soluble [60]fullerene using dipolar trimethylenemethane, which undergoes cycloaddition to [60]fullerene. When administered orally to rats, this compound was not efficiently absorbed and was excreted primarily in the feces. When injected intravenously, however, it was distributed rapidly to various tissues, and most of the material was retained in the body after one week. The compound was also able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Acute toxicity of the water-miscible fullerene was found to be quite low. CONCLUSIONS Although the water-soluble fullerenes (and possibly their simple metabolites) are not acutely toxic, they are retained in the body for long periods, raising concerns about chronic toxic effects. The fact that fullerenes distribute rapidly to many tissues suggests that they may eventually be useful to deliver highly polar drugs through membranes to a target tissue, however, and they may even have applications in the delivery of drugs to the brain. Recent advances in fullerene synthetic chemistry may also make it possible to control fullerene absorption/excretion profiles in the future.

A novel ketone synthesis by a palladium-catalyzed reaction of thiol esters and organozinc reagents

Abstract A variety of ketones have been prepared by a palladium-catalyzed reaction of ethanethiol esters with organozinc reagents. Various functional groups, including esters, ketones, aromatic halides and aldehydes, tolerate the reaction conditions. The reaction can also be applied to the synthesis of α-amino ketones using the corresponding L-α-amino thiol esters without racemization.

Total Synthesis of (+)-Haplophytine†

Despite the many impressive accomplishments in the field of total synthesis in recent years, a number of natural products have proven stubbornly resistant to its advances. Among them is haplophytine (1, Scheme 1a), which has only very recently succumbed to synthesis following the elegant work of Fukuyama, Tokuyama and co-workers. Haplophytine was first isolated by Snyder and co-workers in 1952, and identified as the principle bioactive component of the wild flower Haplophyton cimicidum, valued for centuries by the Aztecs and subsequent settlers of Central America for its insecticidal properties. A heterodimeric indole alkaloid, haplophytine features a particularly complex polycyclic array of ten rings, six stereocenters (five of which are quaternary) and a highly congested carbon carbon bond adjoining the two distinct halves of the molecule. The tetracyclic left-hand domain features a unique bridged ketone structure, while the righthand domain consists of the naturally occurring aspidosperma alkaloid, aspidophytine (2, Scheme 1b). A complete appreciation of haplophytine s molecular structure was only reached some 21 years subsequent to its isolation, following extensive chemical degradation, spectroscopic, and X-ray crystallographic studies from the groups of Cava, Yates, and Zacharias, which included identification of the dihydrobromide derivative 3 (Scheme 1a). As depicted, this compound is formed through a unique acid-mediated skeletal rearrangement of the left-hand domain involving the 1,2-shift of an aminal C N bond. Under basic conditions, however, this process can be reversed such as to return haplophytine through a complementary semi-pinacol type mechanism. As

Auto-Tandem Catalysis in the Synthesis of Substituted Quinolines from Aldimines and Electron-Rich Olefins: Cascade Povarov−Hydrogen-Transfer Reaction

We demonstrated a catalytic cascade inverse electron demand hetero-Diels-Alder reaction (Povarov reaction) and hydrogen-transfer process. The reaction of electron-rich olefins and excess amount of imines in the presence of acid catalysts under appropriate conditions affords substituted quinolines in a single operation. In the cascade process, the catalysts, such as Tf2NH, TfOH, and Lewis acids, catalyze two mechanistically distinct reactions (auto-tandem catalysis). We also describe the synthetic utility of the prepared quinolines.

Acetic acid promoted metal-free aerobic carbon-carbon bond forming reactions at α-position of tertiary amines.

The oxidative functionalization of the benzylic C-H bonds in tetrahydroisoquinolines and tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives was investigated. C-C bond forming reactions proceeded with a range of nucleophiles (nitroalkane, enol silyl ether, indole, allylstannane, and tetrabutylammonium cyanide) under metal-free conditions and an oxygen atmosphere. Acetic acid caused a significant acceleration effect.

Total Synthesis of Dictyodendrin A and B

alkaloids known to possess inhibitory activity against telomerase. As telomerase is expressed in most tumor cell lines and its activity is associated with cell proliferation, telomerase inhibition represents a potential target for cancer chemotherapy. These compounds have received considerable attention as synthetic targets, not only owing to their intriguing biological activity but also to their characteristic structure, having the highly substituted pyrrolo[2,3-c]carbazole core. Among numerous studies toward dictyodendrin synthesis, only F rstner and co-workers succeeded in the total synthesis of dictyodendrins B, C, and E, which was followed by the recent total synthesis of dictyodendrin B by Iwao and coworkers. Herein, we report the first total synthesis of dictyodendrin A (1) and a total synthesis of B (2) which features a hitherto unprecedented benzyne-mediated one-pot cyclization/cross-coupling sequence. In planning the synthesis of dictyodendrins, we designed a flexible route involving introduction of peripheral segments on the pivotal indoline intermediate 3 (Scheme 2). Thus, the

Regioselective Synthesis of Heterocycles Containing Nitrogen Neighboring an Aromatic Ring by Reductive Ring Expansion Using Diisobutylaluminum Hydride and Studies on the Reaction Mechanism

A systematic investigation of the reductive ring-expansion reaction of cyclic ketoximes fused to aromatic rings with diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBALH) is described. This reaction regioselectively afforded a variety of five- to eight-membered bicyclic heterocycles or tricyclic heterocycles containing nitrogen neighboring an aromatic ring, including indoline, 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydrobenz[b]azocine, 3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazine, 2,3,4,5-tetrahydrobenzo[b][1,4]thiazepine, 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydroazepino[3,2-b]indole, 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzothieno[2,3-b]azepine, 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzothieno[3,2-b]azepine, 5,6-dihydrophenanthridine, and 5,6,11,12-tetrahydrodibenz[b, f]azocine. The reaction mechanism leading to the rearrangement was investigated on the basis of the restricted Becke three-parameter plus Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP) density functional theory (DFT) with the 6-31G (d) basis set. It was found that the reaction proceeds through a three-centered transition state via a stepwise mechanism because the potential energy curve along the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) had two maxima (saddle points; TS1 and TS2) and the partial phenonium cation intermediate C. In addition to cyclic ketoximes fused to aromatic rings, the reactions of various cyclic and acyclic ketoximes were examined to investigate preference of migrating group. It was found that the more electron-rich group migrated preferentially to give the corresponding secondary amines.

Total Synthesis of (−)‐Acetylaranotin

The key step in this total synthesis of (-)-acetylaranotin is the efficient formation of the characteristic dihydrooxepine ring from cyclohexenone through an unusual vinylogous Rubottom oxidation and a regioselective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation. (-)-Acetylaranotin is obtained in 22 steps from commercially available L-Cbz-tyrosine (Cbz=benzyloxycarbonyl).

Concise Total Synthesis of (−)-Mersicarpine

A concise total synthesis of (-)-mersicarpine from a known cyclohexanone was accomplished. The azepinoindole core was constructed by a DIBAL-H-mediated reductive ring-expansion reaction of oxime.

Total synthesis of dictyodendrins A-E.

A highly efficient total synthesis of dictyodendrins A-E was accomplished. The synthesis features a novel benzyne-mediated one-pot indoline formation/cross-coupling sequence for the construction of a highly substituted key indoline intermediate. Peripheral substituents were introduced onto this intermediate in a modular fashion to complete the total synthesis of dictyodendrins A-E.