Sarah E. Reisman

Microbiota modulate behavioral and physiological abnormalities associated with neurodevelopmental disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are defined by core behavioral impairments; however, subsets of individuals display a spectrum of gastrointestinal (GI) abnormalities. We demonstrate GI barrier defects and microbiota alterations in the maternal immune activation (MIA) mouse model that is known to display features of ASD. Oral treatment of MIA offspring with the human commensal Bacteroides fragilis corrects gut permeability, alters microbial composition, and ameliorates defects in communicative, stereotypic, anxiety-like and sensorimotor behaviors. MIA offspring display an altered serum metabolomic profile, and B. fragilis modulates levels of several metabolites. Treating naive mice with a metabolite that is increased by MIA and restored by B. fragilis causes certain behavioral abnormalities, suggesting that gut bacterial effects on the host metabolome impact behavior. Taken together, these findings support a gut-microbiome-brain connection in a mouse model of ASD and identify a potential probiotic therapy for GI and particular behavioral symptoms in human neurodevelopmental disorders.

Enantioselective Thiourea-Catalyzed Additions to Oxocarbenium Ions

Asymmetric, catalytic reactions of oxocarbenium ions are reported. Simple, chiral urea and thiourea derivatives are shown to catalyze the enantioselective substitution of silyl ketene acetals onto 1-chloroisochromans. A mechanism involving anion binding by the chiral catalyst to generate a reactive oxocarbenium ion is invoked. Catalysts bearing tertiary benzylic amide groups afforded highest enantioselectivities, with the optimal structure being derived from enantioenriched 2-arylpyrrolidine derivatives.

Enantioselective and Enantiospecific Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions of Organometallic Reagents To Construct C–C Bonds

The stereocontrolled construction of C−C bonds remains one of the foremost challenges in organic synthesis. At the heart of any chemical synthesis of a natural product or designed small molecule is the need to orchestrate a series of chemical reactions to prepare and functionalize a carbon framework. The advent of transition-metal catalysis has provided chemists with a broad range of new tools to forge C−C bonds and has resulted in a paradigm shift in synthetic strategy planning. The impact of these methods was recognized with the awarding of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Richard Heck, Ei-ichi Negishi, and Akira Suzuki for their seminal contributions to the development of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Pyrroloindolines by a Formal [3 + 2] Cycloaddition Reaction

(R)-BINOL·SnCl(4) was found to catalyze a formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction between C(3)-substituted indoles and 2-amidoacrylates to provide pyrroloindolines. A variety of pyrroloindolines were prepared with high enantioselectivity in one step from simple precursors. This methodology is expected to facilitate the total synthesis of pyrroloindoline alkaloids, an important class of biologically active natural products.

A concise total synthesis of (-)-maoecrystal Z.

The first total synthesis of (-)-maoecrystal Z is described. The key steps of the synthesis include a diastereoselective Ti(III)-mediated reductive epoxide coupling reaction and a diastereoselective Sm(II)-mediated reductive cascade cyclization reaction. These transformations enabled the preparation of (-)-maoecrystal Z in only 12 steps from (-)-γ-cyclogeraniol.

Catalytic asymmetric reductive acyl cross-coupling: synthesis of enantioenriched acyclic α,α-disubstituted ketones.

The first enantioselective Ni-catalyzed reductive acyl cross-coupling has been developed. Treatment of acid chlorides and racemic secondary benzyl chlorides with a Ni(II)/bis(oxazoline) catalyst in the presence of Mn(0) as a stoichiometric reductant generates acyclic α,α-disubstituted ketones in good yields and high enantioselectivity without requiring stoichiometric chiral auxiliaries or pregeneration of organometallic reagents. The mild, base-free reaction conditions are tolerant of a variety of functional groups on both coupling partners.

Copper-Catalyzed Diastereoselective Arylation of Tryptophan Derivatives: Total Synthesis of (+)-Naseseazines A and B

A copper-catalyzed arylation of tryptophan derivatives is reported. The reaction proceeds with high site- and diastereoselectivity to provide aryl pyrroloindoline products in one step from simple starting materials. The utility of this transformation is highlighted in the five-step syntheses of the natural products (+)-naseseazine A and B.

Recent Developments in the Catalytic, Asymmetric Construction of Pyrroloindolines Bearing All-Carbon Quaternary Stereocenters

Pyrroloindoline alkaloids constitute a large family of natural products that has inspired the development of an impressive array of new reactions to prepare the key heterocyclic motif. This synopsis will address catalytic, asymmetric reactions developed to synthesize pyrroloindolines bearing C3a all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. The methods described herein include both transition-metal-catalyzed and organocatalyzed reactions that have been demonstrated to be suitable for the synthesis of the pyrroloindoline framework.

Enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-acetylaranotin, a dihydrooxepine epidithiodiketopiperazine.

The first total synthesis of the dihydrooxepine-containing epidithiodiketopiperazine (ETP) (-)-acetylaranotin (1) is reported. The key steps of the synthesis include an enantioselective azomethine ylide (1,3)-dipolar cycloaddition reaction to set the absolute and relative stereochemistry, a rhodium-catalyzed cycloisomerization/chloride elimination sequence to generate the dihydrooxepine moiety, and a stereoretentive diketopiperazine sulfenylation to install the epidisulfide. This synthesis provides access to (-)-1 in 18 steps from inexpensive, commercially available starting materials. We anticipate that the approach described herein will serve as a general strategy for the synthesis of additional members of the dihydrooxepine ETP family.

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Salvileucalin B

An enantioselective total synthesis of the diterpenoid natural product (+)-salvileucalin B is reported. Key findings include a copper-catalyzed arene cyclopropanation reaction to provide the unusual norcaradiene core and a reversible retro-Claisen rearrangement of a highly functionalized norcaradiene intermediate.