Jean-François Poisson

Expedient approach to chiral cyclobutanones:asymmetric synthesis of cyclobut-G

An efficient one-pot asymmetric synthesis of cyclobutanones from chiral enol ethers is described. The approach is illustrated with alkyl- and functionalized alkyl-substituted enol ethers (nine examples). A new enantioselective synthesis of cyclobut-G (Lobucavir) could thus be achieved.

Hydroxymethyl-Branched Polyhydroxylated Indolizidines: Novel Selective α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α,α-Disubstituted piperidines and conformationally constrained polyhydroxylated indolizidines bearing a hydroxymethyl substituent in position 8a were synthesized from a readily available l-sorbose-derived ketonitrone. Diastereoselective vinylation under two sets of complementary conditions allowed access to both configurations of the newly formed quaternary stereocenter. Subsequent N-allylation and ring-closing metathesis afforded 8a-branched indolizidines in high yield. The newly prepared iminosugars demonstrated highly potent inhibition of α-glucosidases. Most interestingly, compound 9b exhibits very high selectivity toward this class of enzymes, with an unusual mode of binding.

Asymmetric addition of alkoxy ethynyl anion to chiral N-sulfinyl imines.

The addition of lithiated ynol ethers to chiral N-sulfinyl imines proceeds in high yield and diastereoselectivity. The selectivity is completely reversed by the addition of boron trifluoride. These alkoxypropargyl sulfinamides can be reduced to afford enol ethers, selectively oxidized to busyl derivatives, or the ynol ether can be hydrolyzed to afford β-amino esters.

A Diels-Alder-based total synthesis of (-)-kainic acid.

An efficient synthesis of (-)-kainic acid, through a high-pressure-promoted Diels-Alder cycloaddition of a vinylogous malonate derived from 4-hydroxyproline, is described. The bicyclic adduct could be converted into the natural product with complete stereocontrol.

Asymmetric synthesis of α,α-disubstituted amino acids by cycloaddition of (E)-ketonitrones with vinyl ethers.

Original acyclic (E)-α,α-dialkylketonitrones bearing a chiral auxiliary on their nitrogen atom were synthesized and successfully employed for the asymmetric synthesis of α,α-disubstituted amino acids using regio- and stereocontrolled 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions with vinyl ethers. N-Glycosyl chiral auxiliaries were found to provide excellent exo- and π-facial stereocontrol. The obtained enantiopure cycloadducts were selectively transformed into functional α,α-disubstituted amino acids and related β-peptides through the highly regioselective opening of an intermediate quaternary anhydride.

Sulfinylimidates as chiral amide equivalents for irreversible, asymmetric aldol reactions.

A highly selective N-sulfinylimidate aldolization has been developed under mildly basic conditions leading to diastereopure products of high synthetic potential. The innate reversibility of this aldolization was suppressed by the use of titanium as the Lewis acid. An application of this methodology via the synthesis of a potential neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitor is illustrated.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Cyclobutanones: Synthesis of Cyclobut-G

A simple, efficient, and stereoselective approach has been developed for obtaining chiral cis- and trans-disubstituted cyclobutanones from readily available alkyl- and functionalized alkyl-substituted enol ethers. The usefulness of these cyclobutanones is illustrated by an enantioselective synthesis of cyclobut-G (Lobucavir).

Highly diastereoselective addition of alkoxyethynyl aluminium reagents to N-tert-butylsulfinyl aldimines

The addition of dimethylaluminium alkoxyacetylides to Ellmans sulfinylimines is described. The reaction proceeds with excellent diastereoselectivity and high yield to produce oxygenated propargylamines in one step starting from simple dichloroenol ethers.

Transition-metal-catalyzed ring expansion of diazocarbonylated cyclic N-hydroxylamines: a new approach to cyclic ketonitrones.

Novel C-ethoxycarbonyl cyclic ketonitrones are synthesized from the Ag- or Cu-catalyzed ring expansion of β-diazo cyclic hydroxylamines. The latter are themselves easily obtained by the addition of lithiated ethyl diazoacetate onto cyclic nitrones. The regioselective metal-catalyzed rearrangement of β-diazo cyclic hydroxylamines proved highly efficient and resulted in a synthetically useful ring expansion to produce 6- or 7-membered ring functionalized nitrones. The outcome of the two steps, i.e. nucleophilic addition of α-diazoesters to nitrones and ring expansion, is a formal nitrone homologation.

Polyhydroxylated Quinolizidine Iminosugars as Nanomolar Selective Inhibitors of α-Glucosidases

Polyhydroxylated quinolizidines bearing a hydroxymethyl group at the ring junction were synthesized from a readily available l-sorbose-derived ketonitrone. Evaluated as glycoside hydrolase inhibitors, these quinolizidines revealed to be potent and selective α-glucosidase inhibitors. Quinolizidine 9a is the first quinolizidine-scaffolded iminosugar exhibiting nanomolar inhibition of a glycoenzyme.