We report an improved synthesis of bis(5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzyl)epicatechin 4beta,8-dimer (3) from 5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzylepicatechin (1) and 5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzyl-4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)epicatechin (2) by replacing the previously employed Lewis acid, titanium tetrachloride, with the clay mineral Bentonite K-10. Under the same conditions, the benzyl-protected all-4beta,8-trimer, -tetramer, and -pentamer were obtained regioselectively from their lower homologues, albeit in rapidly decreasing yields. Reaction of 2 with an organoaluminum thiolate generated from 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and trimethylaluminum followed by acetylation produced 3-O-acetyl-4-[(2-benzothiazolyl)thio]-5,7,3',4'-tetra-O-benzylepicatechin (12). Medium-sized protected oligomers with 4beta,8-interflavan linkages are obtained in improved yields by using this compound as the electrophile and silver tetrafluoroborate as activator and are isolated by reversed-phase HPLC. Their deprotection by ester saponification followed by hydrogenolysis yielded the free procyanidins, which were characterized as their peracetates. The synthetic procyanidins are identical by normal-phase HPLC with fractions isolated from cocoa. The principle of chain extension by two members was demonstrated using a dimeric electrophile obtained by self-condensation of compound 12. Both the synthetic and natural pentamer 32 inhibit the growth of several breast cancer cell lines. Using the MDA MB 231 line, it was established that this outcome is based on the induction of cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Subsequent cell death is more likely necrotic rather than apoptotic. Control experiments demonstrate that the polyphenol itself, rather than hydrogen peroxide potentially formed by its autoxidation, is the causative agent.

The 2-siloxysubstituted 2-alkenylcyclopropanecarboxylic acids 10–14 were converted into the corresponding carbonyl azides by treatment with DPPA (diphenyl phosphorazidate) and triethylamine. On heating to 80 °C these intermediates smoothly furnished azepinone derivatives 19–25 in moderate to good overall yields, which are the result of a sequence of Curtius reaction to cyclopropylisocyanates, [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement, and a final proton shift. The primary products may undergo desilylation (to afford azepin-2,5-diones such as 23) or double bond migration (to compound 25). Cyclopropanecarboxylic acids cis-32, cis-34, and cis-35, which bear no 2-siloxy group, similarly provided azepinone derivatives 36–38 in good yields. No influence of the 2-siloxy substituent on the reaction course and rates could be observed in these qualitative studies, which was confirmed by DFT calculations with model compounds 39–42 showing similar reaction barriers for rearrangements of cyclopropylisocyanates with or without a 2-hydroxy group.Key words: vinyl cyclopropanes, carbonylazides, [3.3]-sigmatropic rearrangements, azepinones.

The syntheses of novel thieno‐pyridones, thiazolo‐pyridones, thiazolo‐pyridines and amino‐ and diamino‐dieno‐pyridines were described. Simultaneously, it was demonstrated that in these compounds and in the related 3‐aminothiophenes the replacement of the methylthio by the morpholino group is possible. The structures were characterized using 1H‐, 13C‐NMR, IR and elemental analysis.

2-Siloxysubstituted 2-alkenylcyclopropanecarboxylic acids 6a-e were converted into the corresponding carbonylazides by treatment with diphenyl phosphorazidate/triethylamine. These intermediates underwent smooth Curtius rearrangement followed by [3,3]-sigmatropic reaction to finally provide azepin-2-one derivatives 8a-d and/or azepin-2,5-diones 9d and 10e in moderate to good overall yield. Cyclopropanecarboxylic acids 11a-c lacking the siloxy group provided azepin-2-ones 12a-c with reasonable efficiency.

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