A Novel and Stereospecific Synthesis of (+/-)- and (-)-Aristeromycin

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00358a023

A new, efficient synthetic route to (+/-)- and (-)-aristeromycin (1) has been developed which has as its key feature the cycloaddition of singlet oxygen to 5-<(phenylmethoxy)methyl>-1,3-cyclopentadiene (8) followed by in situ reduction to give ene diol 10.This reaction has been optimized and scaled-up to give 197 g (60percent) of partially purified 10.The key intermediate azide 15 was prepared from the partially purified 10 in 56percent yield by a three-step sequence of epoxidation to give 13, reaction with NaN3, and acetonation.Azide 15 was converted by standard chemistry via adenine intermediate 22 to (+/-)-aristeromycin (1) in 31percent overall yield.Intermediate 22 was also prepared in 25percent yield by a novel and shorter sequence which involved the reaction of epoxide 13 with the sodium salt of adenine and then acetonation.Alternatively, azide 15 was resolved by conversion to its naproxen ester 26, and the (-)-isomer of 15 was converted to the known amino triol 31, thus constituting a formal synthesis of (-)-aristeromycin.