Hiroki Mandai

Kinetic Resolution of Secondary Alcohols by the Combination of a Chiral Brønsted Acid, DABCO, and Acetyl Chloride

An efficient and simple protocol for the kinetic resolution of secondary alcohols is presented. The new system is based on a combination of chiral Brønsted acid, DABCO, and acetyl chloride and gives various enantioenriched alcohols with selectivity factors up to 105.

Enantioselective acyl transfer catalysis by a combination of common catalytic motifs and electrostatic interactions

Catalysts that can promote acyl transfer processes are important to enantioselective synthesis and their development has received significant attention in recent years. Despite noteworthy advances, discovery of small-molecule catalysts that are robust, efficient, recyclable and promote reactions with high enantioselectivity can be easily and cost-effectively prepared in significant quantities (that is, >10 g) has remained elusive. Here, we demonstrate that by attaching a binaphthyl moiety, appropriately modified to establish H-bonding interactions within the key intermediates in the catalytic cycle, and a 4-aminopyridyl unit, exceptionally efficient organic molecules can be prepared that facilitate enantioselective acyl transfer reactions. As little as 0.5 mol% of a member of the new catalyst class is sufficient to generate acyl-substituted all-carbon quaternary stereogenic centres in quantitative yield and in up to 98:2 enantiomeric ratio (er) in 5 h. Kinetic resolution or desymmetrization of 1,2-diol can be performed with high efficiency and enantioselectivity as well.

Site-selective sequential coupling reactions controlled by "electrochemical Reaction Site Switching": A straightforward approach to 1,4-bis(diaryl)buta-1,3-diynes

Site-selective sequential coupling reactions directed toward bis(diaryl)butadiynes are described. The reaction site could be controlled completely by the on/off application of electricity. The electro-oxidative homo-coupling of terminal alkynes (electricity ON) and the subsequent Suzuki-Miyaura coupling (electricity OFF) afforded bis(diaryl)butadiynes in high yields. The obtained 1,4-bis(diaryl)butadiynes could be converted to a 2,5-bis(diaryl)thiophene derivative, which exhibited blue fluorescence.

Studies on the Synthesis of DMAP Derivatives by Diastereoselective Ugi Reactions

Diastereoselective Ugi reactions of DMAP-based aldehydes with α-amino acids and tert-butyl isocyanide were examined. The reactions of 4-(dimethylamino)-2-pyridine-carboxaldehyde with various α-amino acids afforded 2-substituted DMAP derivatives with low diastereoselectivity. On the contrary, reactions with 4-(dimethylamino)-3-pyridine-carboxaldehyde delivered 3-substituted DMAP derivatives with moderate to high diastereoselectivity. The combination of α-amino acid and DMAP-based aldehyde is thus important to achieve high diastereoselectivity. Kinetic resolution of a secondary alcohol using a chiral DMAP derivative obtained through these reactions was also examined.

Synthesis of hexa(furan-2-yl)benzenes and their π-extended derivatives.

The first synthesis of hexa(furan-2-yl)benzene derivatives is described. The RhCl3/i-Pr2NEt-catalyzed cyclotrimerization of di(furan-2-yl)acetylenes was an effective method for constructing hexa(furan-2-yl)benzene derivatives in good yields. Their π-extended derivatives were also synthesized by Suzuki-Miyaura coupling between hexakis(5-Bpinfuran-2-yl)benzene (Bpin = (pinacolato)boryl) and several aryl iodides.

Enantioselective Steglich Rearrangement of Oxindole Derivatives by Easily Accessible Chiral N,N-4-(Dimethylamino)pyridine Derivatives

Chiral N,N-4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) derivatives, which can be readily prepared by the Ugi multicomponent reaction in a one-pot manner, have been efficiently applied to the enantioselective Steglich rearrangement of oxindole derivatives to give the desired products bearing a quaternary carbon center in high yield (>98% yield) and with high enantioselectivity (up to 99:1 er).

Synthetic (+)-terrein suppresses interleukin-6/soluble interleukin-6 receptor induced-secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor in human gingival fibroblasts

Interleukin (IL)-6 is a proinflammatory cytokine that performs a wide variety of biological functions, including important roles in the progression of chronic inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease. (+)-Terrein, a secondary bioactive fungal metabolite isolated from Aspergillus terreus, has various biological activities; however, its anti-inflammatory effects are still unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of synthetic (+)-terrein on IL-6 signaling and related protein production in human gingival fibroblasts. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report that synthetic (+)-terrein is not cytotoxic at concentrations less than 20 μM and suppresses IL-6/soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R)-induced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and c-jun N-terminal kinase 1/2-signaling proteins that are downstream of IL-6 signaling. In addition, synthetic (+)-terrein suppresses IL-6/sIL-6R-induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.01). These data suggest that synthetic (+)-terrein has potential anti-IL-6 signaling activity and suppresses VEGF-associated inflammatory disease progression.

Rh-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Cyclization Leading to Benzosilolothiophene Derivatives via Si–H/C–H Bond Cleavage

Straightforward syntheses leading to π-extended benzosilolothiophene (BST) derivatives by Rh-catalyzed dehydrogenative cyclization reactions have been developed. Electron-deficient ligands were effective for the reactions, and dppe-F20 gave the best result. This method could be applied to the synthesis of highly π-extended ladder-type BST derivatives, which exhibited fluorescence.

Synthesis of 3-Benzo[b]thienyl 3-Thienyl Ether via an Addition–Elimination Reaction and Its Transformation to an Oxygen-Fused Dithiophene Skeleton: Synthesis and Properties of Benzodithienofuran and Its π-Extended Derivatives

The synthesis of 3-benzo[b]thienyl 3-thienyl ether and its dehydrogenative cyclization leading to benzodithienofuran (BDTF; [1]benzothieno[3,2-b]thieno[2,3-d]furan) are described for the first time. Further transformation of BDTF to more π-extended BDTF derivatives and their fundamental physical properties are also studied.

Desymmetrization of meso-1,2-Diols by a Chiral N,N-4-Dimethylaminopyridine Derivative Containing a 1,1′-Binaphthyl Unit: Importance of the Hydroxy Groups

We developed an acylative desymmetrization of meso-1,2-diols using a binaphthyl-based N,N-4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) derivative 1h with tert-alcohol substituents. The reaction proceeds with a wide range of acyclic meso-1,2-diols and six-membered-ring meso-1,2-diols to provide a monoacylate selectively with a high enantiomeric ratio (er). Only 0.1 mol % of the catalyst facilitated the reaction within a short reaction time (3 h) to afford enantio-enriched monoacylated products in moderate to good yield. Several control experiments revealed that the tert-alcohol units of catalyst 1h play a significant role in achieving high catalytic activity, chemoselectivity of monoacylation, and enantioselectivity.