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A multitasking C-silylation strategy using the readily available compound 26 as a surrogate for cinnamic acid represents the key design element of a total synthesis of all known members of the ipomoeassin family of resin glyosides. This protecting group maneuver allows the unsaturated acids decorating the glucose subunit of the targets to be attached at an early phase of the synthesis, prevents their participation in the ruthenium-catalyzed ring-closing metathesis (RCM) used to form the macrocyclic ring, and protects them against reduction during the hydrogenation of the resulting cycloalkene over Wilkinson's catalyst. As the C-silyl group can be concomitantly removed with the O-TBS substituent using tris(dimethylamino)sulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate (TASF) in acetonitrile, no separate protecting group manipulations were necessary in the final stages, thus contributing to a favorable overall "economy of steps". In addition to the naturally occurring ipomoeassins, a small set of synthetic analogues has also been prepared by "diverted total synthesis". The cytotoxicity of these compounds was assayed with two different cancer cell lines. The recorded data confirm previous findings that the acylation- and oxygenation pattern of these amphiphilic glycoconjugates is highly correlated with their biological activity profile. Ipomoeassin F turned out to be the most promising member of the series, showing IC(50) values in the low nanomolar range.

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Two different approaches to the eleven-membered biaryl ether lactones of the aspercyclide family are disclosed. The core regions of these highly strained targets, which are able to interfere with the binding of immunoglobulin E to its high affinity receptor, can either be forged by ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) or by a highly diastereoselective chromium-mediated Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi (NHK) reaction. Whereas the RCM approach turned out to be responsive to minor changes in the substitution pattern of the substrate, the NHK route is more generally applicable. The preparation of the required cyclization precursor 43 hinged on a palladium-catalyzed ortho-iodination reaction of 2-methylbenzoic acid, an efficient copper-catalyzed Ullmann coupling, and a Takai-Utimoto olefination as the key steps. Moreover, the esterification of the 2,6-disubstituted benzoic acid 34 with the sterically hindered secondary alcohol 37 was far from trivial. However, this and related transformations were accomplished by recourse to the corresponding acid fluorides, which provided excellent yields in cases in which the more commonly used acid chlorides or mixed anhydrides failed to afford any of the desired products.

A new modification of Julia-Kocienski olefination reaction based on the use of cation-specific chelating agents that yields 1,3-dienes with predictable (E/Z)-selectivity on newly created double bond was developed. The influence of the aldehyde structure on reaction (E/Z) selectivity is discussed and rationalized.

Herein we describe a one‐pot microwave‐assisted method for the synthesis of cinnamic acid and coumarin derivatives. The synthesis begins with an aldehyde synthon, and the chosen reaction conditions determine whether a cinnamic acid or coumarin derivative is formed. A regioselective Claisen rearrangement was also efficiently incorporated into the synthetic sequence to further increase the complexity of the product. Notably, this approach provides high product yields and selectivities without the need of a phenol protecting group.

[Structure: see text] A short and efficient synthesis of allylic TBS ethers and allylic alcohols has been developed, based upon a unique Kocienski-Julia olefination reaction. Allylic alcohols and allylic ethers are obtained in good to excellent yields and with high (E)-selectivity. The conditions are mild and the procedure is broadly applicable.

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