AbstractA structural revision of clavilactone D, a potent inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinases, was achieved by total syntheses of two newly proposed structures. The syntheses relied on ring-opening/ring-closing metathesis, which transformed a cyclobutenecarboxylate into a γ-butenolide. The syntheses confirmed that the correct structure of clavilactone D has an amino group at C-3 instead of a hydroxy group at C-2 in the originally proposed structure.

Amine-free silylation of various alcohols catalyzed by 4-methylpyridine N-oxide in the presence of MS4A at room temperature was developed. This simple method gave various silyl ethers in a high yield.

Stereoselective construction of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters by allylboration of chiral aldehydes is described. Sugar-derived aldehydes were allylated with geranylboronate or nerylboronate to provide γ-adducts possessing quaternary stereocenters with high diastereoselectivity. The reaction was applied to the synthesis of a fragment of (+)-vibsanin A.

The first total synthesis of (+)-cytosporolide A was achieved by a biomimetic hetero-Diels–Alder reaction of (−)-fuscoatrol A with o-quinone methide generated from (+)-CJ-12,373. The dienophile, highly oxygenated caryophyllene sesquiterpenoid (−)-fuscoatrol A, was synthesized from the synthetic intermediate in our previous total synthesis of (+)-pestalotiopsin A. The o-quinone methide precursor, isochroman carboxylic acid (+)-CJ-12,373, was synthesized through a Kolbe–Schmitt reaction and an oxa-Pictet–Spengler reaction. The hetero-Diels–Alder reaction of these two compounds proceeded with complete chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity to produce the complicated pentacyclic ring system of the cytosporolide skeleton. This total synthesis unambiguously demonstrates that natural cytosporolide A has the structure previously suggested.

The first total synthesis of (+)-vibsanin A, an 11-membered vibsane diterpenoid, was achieved, unambiguously establishing its relative and absolute stereochemistry. Highlights of the synthesis include the stereoselective formation of an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter by a zinc-mediated Barbier-type allylation in an aqueous medium, and the efficient construction of an 11-membered ring skeleton by a combination of an intramolecular Nozaki–Hiyama–Kishi (NHK) reaction and a Mitsunobu reaction.

The reaction of t-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) chloride with secondary alcohols was catalyzed by pyrrolidinopyridine N-oxide (PPYO) in the presence of diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) at room temperature, giving the corresponding TBDPS ethers in high yields.

The enantioselective total synthesis of natural enantiomers of clavilactones A and B has been achieved. A key feature of the synthesis is the use of a ring-opening/ring-closing metathesis, which allows the one-pot transformation of a strained cyclobutenecarboxylate into a γ-butenolide.

An enantioselective total synthesis of both enantiomers of caryophyllene-type sesquiterpenoid pestalotiopsin A has been achieved, thereby establishing the absolute stereochemistry of natural (+)-pestalotiopsin A. Highlights of the synthesis include a [2 + 2] cycloaddition of N-propioloyl Oppolzer’s camphorsultam and ketene dialkyl acetal and subsequent highly stereoselective 1,4-hydride addition/protonation, an aldol reaction of functionalized bicyclic lactone with aldehyde, an efficient intramolecular Nozaki−Hiyama−Kishi (NHK) reaction for the construction of the highly strained (E)-cyclononene ring, and a palladium-catalyzed reduction of allylic mesylate with retention of the E configuration.