Prenyl (ϭ3-methyl-2-butenyl)isoflavones and (3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)isoflavones, which contain an alkyl or alkenyl group in the A-and/or B-ring, are widely distributed in nature and have antifungal activity. [1][2][3][4] Luteone, known as a phytoalexin, was first isolated in 1973 from immature fruits of Lupinus luteus (Leguminosae).5) The structure was assigned as 2Ј,4Ј,5,7-tetrahydroxy-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)isoflavone (1) by spectroscopic and chemical studies. The same isoflavone 1 was also isolated from healthy leaves or roots of white lupin (Lupinus albus L., cv Kievskij Mutant) 4,6) and the roots of yellow lupin (Lupinus leuteus L., cv. Barpin) together with luteone hydrate, the structure of which was assigned to be 2Ј,4Ј,5,7-tetrahydroxy-6-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)isoflavone (2) by spectroscopic analysis.7) Luteone hydrate (2) was isolated as a fungal metabolite of luteone (1) with cultures of Aspergillus flavus and Botrytis cinerea.
8)Wighteone hydrate [4Ј,5,7-trihydroxy-6-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)isoflavone] (3) was also isolated as a fungal metabolite of wighteone [4Ј,5,7-trihydroxy-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)isoflavone] 2,6,7,9) with cultures of A. flavus and B. cinerea. 10) In view of the isolation of 1 and 2 from the same natural source, it is considered that 2 is a precursor of 1 and dehydration of 2 would lead to 1. The total syntheses of isoflavones 1, 2, and 3 have not been achieved yet, although the dimethyl ether of luteone (1) has been synthesized.11) The reason seems to be due to the difficulty in introducing an alkyl or alkenyl group regioselectively into the isoflavone nucleus and the selectivity of protection and consequent deprotection. Furthermore, 6-alkylpolyhydroxyisoflavones are isomerized to the corresponding isomers, 8-alkylpolyhydroxyisoflavones, by bases.12,13) We need to solve these problems for the regioselective synthesis of these phloroglucin-type 6-prenylisoflavones. In our previous paper, 14) we reported the regioselective synthesis of prenylisoflavones. As a continuation of our studies on the regioselective synthesis of alkyl-and prenylisoflavones, we wish to report here on the first syntheses of 1, 2, and 3 using the palladium (0)-catalyzed coupling reaction 15) of the corresponding iodoisoflavone with 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol.16) Recently, the new coumaronochromones (ϭbenzofuro [2,3-b][1]benzopyran-11-ones) lupilutin (8-alkylcoumaronochromone from the root of yellow lupin) 7) and lupinalbin B (6-prenylcoumaronochromone from the root of white lupin) 17) have also been isolated. However, 6-alkylcoumaronochromone (4), which is considered to be a precursor of lupinalbin B, has yet to be isolated from natural sources. We have examined the simple and general applicability of DDQ or o-chloranil to the synthesis of alkylpolyhydroxycoumaronochromones from the corresponding 2Ј-hydroxyisoflavones. 18) We wish to report here the synthesis of compound 4 by oxidative cyclization of compound 2 with ochloranil.
Results and DiscussionThe catalytic hydrogenation of 2Ј,4Ј-bis(benzyloxy)-6Ј-methoxym...