Minoru Ozeki

Efficient Asymmetric Synthesis of abeo-Abietane-Type Diterpenoids by Using the Intramolecular Heck Reaction

The synthesis of the abeo-abietane-type diterpenoids, i.e., (-)-dichroanal B, (-)-dichroanone, and taiwaniaquinone H, was achieved by using the intramolecular asymmetric Heck reaction. Our synthetic routes required fewer steps and gave a much higher overall yield and ee within shorter steps than those for racemic and antipodal forms reported to date (10, 12, and 13 steps with an overall yield of 50%, 40%, and 39%, and 94%, 98%, and 98% ee, respectively).

Asymmetric Michael addition of a recyclable chiral amine: inversion of stereoselectivity caused by the difference of ethereal solvents.

The Michael addition of a chiral amine [(-)- 6] to alpha,beta-unsaturated esters ( 4) was attained and the stereoselectivity was inverted by changing the solvent from diethyl ether to tetrahydrofuran when alpha,beta-unsaturated esters having an aromatic ring at the beta-position were employed. In addition, the chiral auxiliary in the Michael adducts ( 9A) was facilely removed with N-iodosuccinimide to afford beta-amino esters ( 10A) and 2-methoxy- d-bornylaldehyde ( 11), which can be reclaimed to the chiral amine ( 6) by reductive amination.

DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL ASYMMETRIC REACTIONS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO THE SYNTHESIS OF NATURAL PRODUCTS

Asymmetric Michael addition of zinc enolate to a chiral nitroolefin was improved and the method was applied to the synthesis of (-)-Δ 9(12) -Capnellene [(-)-6], (-)-aphanorphine [(-)-7], and (-)-eptazocine [(-)-8]. Whisky lactone (28) was also prepared by taking advantage of tandem Michael addition-MPV-reduction, which was capable of constructing three contiguous chiral centers of 1,3-mercaptoalcohols. In addition, (+)-negamycin [(+)-35] was synthesized by using the Michael addition of a chiral amine [(-)-31] as a key step with the best overall yield and with shortest steps to date. Efficient synthesis of galanthamine [(-)-51] was attained by a novel strategy of remote asymmetric control of intramolecular Michael addition of phenolic hydroxyl group to the dienone moiety. Moreover, epibatidine [(-)-42] was synthesized by using the Diels-Alder reaction, of which the dienophile, chiral allene dicarboxylate, was prepared by asymmetric crystallization. Finally, the first synthesis of naturally occurring form of dichroanal B (71), dichroanone (72), and taiwaniaquinone H (73) were achieved by using intramolecular asymmetric Heck reaction.

Novel Skeleton Transformation Reaction of α-Pyrone Derivatives to Spirobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane Derivatives Using Dimethylsulfoxonium Methylide

By applying a skeleton transformation reaction using dimethylsulfoxonium methylide, a novel reaction was identified by which 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrocoumarin with the electron-withdrawing group at C3 was led to the spirobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-cyclohexane derivative. Moreover, by establishing the scope of this reaction, it was confirmed that it is possible to apply this reaction to not only ring-fused α-pyrone derivatives but also alkyl-chain-substituted α-pyrone derivatives in moderate to good yields.

Isolation and identification of a novel aromatic amine mutagen produced by the Maillard reaction.

To clarify the formation of mutagens in the Maillard reaction of glucose and amino acids, 20 amino acids were separately incubated with glucose in the presence or absence of hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton reaction. After 1 week at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4, the reaction mixtures of glucose and tryptophan with and without the Fenton reagent showed mutagenicity toward Salmonella typhimurium YG1024 in the presence of a mammalian metabolic system (S9 mix). To identify mutagens in the reaction mixture, blue rayon-adsorbed material from a mixture of glucose, tryptophan, and the Fenton reagent was separated by column chromatography using various solid and mobile phases, and one mutagen, which accounted for 18% of the total mutagenicity of the reaction mixture, was isolated. The chemical structure of the mutagen was determined to be 5-amino-6-hydroxy-8H-benzo[6,7]azepino[5,4,3-de]quinolin-7-one (ABAQ) on the basis of ESI mass, high-resolution APCI mass, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and IR spectral analyses and chemical synthesis of the mutagen. The novel aromatic amine showed high mutagenicity toward S. typhimurium TA98 and YG1024 with S9 mix, inducing 857 revertants of TA98 and 6007 revertants of YG1024/microg, respectively. The mutagenicity of ABAQ was comparable to that of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, which is a mutagenic and carcinogenic hetrocyclic amine in cooked meat and fish formed through the Maillard reaction at high temperature.