Synthesis of the ABCDEFG ring system of maitotoxin

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja102260q

Maitotoxin (1) continues to fascinate scientists not only because of its size and potent neurotoxicity but also due to its molecular architecture. To provide further support for its structure and facilitate fragment-based biological studies, we developed an efficient chemical synthesis of the ABCDEFG segment 3 of maitotoxin. ¹³C NMR chemical shift comparisons of synthetic 3 with the corresponding values for the same carbons of maitotoxin revealed a close match, providing compelling evidence for the correctness of the originally assigned structure to this polycyclic system of the natural product. The synthetic strategy for the synthesis of 3 relied heavily on our previously developed furan-based technology involving sequential Noyori asymmetric reduction and Achmatowicz rearrangement for the construction of the required tetrahydropyran building blocks, and employed a B-alkyl Suzuki coupling and a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination to accomplish their assembly and elaboration to the final target molecule.

Full text of DOI:10.1021/ja102260q

Published on Web 04/23/2010
Synthesis of the ABCDEFG Ring System of Maitotoxin
K. C. Nicolaou,* Robert J. Aversa, Jian Jin, and Fatima Rivas
Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research
Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037 and Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry, UniVersity of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman DriVe,
La Jolla, California 92093
Received March 17, 2010; E-mail: kcn@scripps.edu
Abstract: Maitotoxin (1) continues to fascinate scientists not only because of its size and potent neurotoxicity
but also due to its molecular architecture. To provide further support for its structure and facilitate fragment-
based biological studies, we developed an efficient chemical synthesis of the ABCDEFG segment 3 of
maitotoxin. 13C NMR chemical shift comparisons of synthetic 3 with the corresponding values for the same
carbons of maitotoxin revealed a close match, providing compelling evidence for the correctness of the
originally assigned structure to this polycyclic system of the natural product. The synthetic strategy for the
synthesis of 3 relied heavily on our previously developed furan-based technology involving sequential Noyori
asymmetric reduction and Achmatowicz rearrangement for the construction of the required tetrahydropyran
building blocks, and employed a B-alkyl Suzuki coupling and a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination
to accomplish their assembly and elaboration to the final target molecule.
1. Introduction
maitotoxin, including its absolute stereochemistry, has been
assigned on the basis of NMR spectroscopic as well as mass
spectrometric analysis and the chemical synthesis of relatively
small fragments.5-7 A recent challenge by Gallimore and
Spencer to the 1996 Kishi-Tashibana-Yasumoto assigned
structure of maitotoxin8 elicited a response from our laboratories
that provided strong support for the originally assigned structure,
first through computations9 and, subsequently, chemical syn-
thesis of a GHIJK polycyclic system10 and a GHIJKLMNO
fragment (2, Figure 1), followed by NMR spectroscopic
comparisons with the natural product.11 In continuing our quest
As the largest and most toxic of the secondary metabolites
isolated1 and characterized to date, maitotoxin (1, Figure 1)
attracted considerable attention from the chemical community.2
It was first detected in the gut of the surgeonfish Ctenochaetus
striatus in 19711b,c and subsequently isolated in small amounts
from the dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus by Yasumoto et
al. in 1988.1d,e Maitotoxin is one of the causative agents of the
ciguatera fish poisoning that infects consumers of contaminated
seafood periodically around the Pacific Ocean and, as such,
constitutes a major environmental and health hazard.3 Its mode
of action involves interference with cell membrane ion channels
and Ca2+ ion influx that causes neurotoxicity.4 The structure of
(5) (a) Murata, M.; Iwashita, T.; Yokoyama, A.; Sasaki, M.; Yasumoto,
T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1992, 114, 6594. (b) Murata, M.; Naoki, H.;
Iwashita, T.; Matsunaga, S.; Sasaki, M.; Yokoyama, A.; Yasumoto,
T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 2060. (c) Murata, M.; Naoki, H.;
Matsunaga, S.; Satake, M.; Yasumoto, T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1994,
116, 7098. (d) Satake, M.; Ishida, S.; Yasumoto, T. J. Am. Chem.
Soc. 1995, 117, 7019.
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Yasumoto, T.; Bagnins, R.; Randal, J. E.; Banner, A. H. Nippon Suisan
Gakkaishi 1971, 37, 724. (c) Yasumoto, T.; Bagnins, R.; Vernoux,
J. P. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 1976, 42, 359. (d) Yasumoto, T.;
Nakajima, I.; Bagnis, R.; Adachi, R. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 1977,
43, 1021. (e) Yokoyama, A.; Murata, M.; Oshima, Y.; Iwashita, T.;
Yasumoto, T. J. Biochem. 1988, 104, 184.
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Oinuma, H.; Kishi, Y. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 7946. (b) Cook,
L. R.; Oinuma, H.; Semones, M. A.; Kishi, Y. J. Am. Chem. Soc.
1997, 119, 7928. (c) Kishi, Y. Pure Appl. Chem. 1998, 70, 339.
(7) (a) Sasaki, M.; Nonomura, T.; Murata, M.; Tachibana, K. Tetrahedron
Lett. 1995, 36, 9007. (b) Sasaki, M.; Nomomura, T.; Murata, M.;
Tachibana, K.; Yasumoto, T. Tetrahedron Lett. 1995, 36, 9011. (c)
Sasaki, M.; Nonomura, T.; Murata, M.; Tachibana, K. Tetrahedron
Lett. 1994, 35, 5023. (d) Sasaki, M.; Matsumori, N.; Muruyama, T.;
Nonomura, T.; Murata, M.; Tachibana, K.; Yasumoto, T. Angew.
Chem., Int. Ed. Engl. 1996, 35, 1672. (e) Nonomura, T.; Sasaki, M.;
Matsumori, N.; Murata, M.; Tachibana, K.; Yasumoto, T. Angew.
Chem., Int. Ed. Engl. 1996, 35, 1675.
(2) (a) Nicolaou, K. C.; Postema, M. H. D.; Yue, E. W.; Nadin, A. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 10335. (b) Nakata, T.; Nomura, S.; Matsukura,
H. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 1996, 44, 627. (c) Nagasawa, K.; Hori, N.;
Shiba, R.; Nakata, T. Heterocycles 1997, 44, 105. (d) Sakamoto, Y.;
Matsuo, G.; Matsukura, H.; Nakata, T. Org. Lett. 2001, 3, 2749. (e)
Morita, M.; Ishiyama, S.; Koshino, H.; Nakata, T. Org. Lett. 2008,
10, 1675. (f) Morita, M.; Haketa, T.; Koshino, H.; Nakata, T. Org.
Lett. 2008, 10, 1679. (g) Satoh, M.; Koshino, H.; Nakata, T. Org.
Lett. 2008, 10, 1683.
(3) (a) Yasumoto, T.; Murata, M. Chem. ReV. 1993, 93, 1897. (b)
Phycotoxins: Chemistry and Biochemistry; Botana, L. M., Ed.;
Blackwell Publishing: Ames, IA, 2007; p 345.
(4) (a) Takahashi, M.; Ohizumi, Y.; Yasumoto, T. J. Biol. Chem. 1982,
257, 7287. (b) Gusovsky, F.; Daly, J. W. Biochem. Pharmacol. 1990,
39, 1633. (c) Ueda, H.; Tamura, S.; Fukushima, N.; Takagi, H. Eur.
J. Pharmacol. 1986, 122, 379. (d) Konoki, K.; Hashimoto, M.;
Nanomura, T.; Sasaki, M.; Murata, M.; Tachibana, K. J. Neurochem.
1998, 70, 409. (e) Murata, M.; Gusovsky, F.; Yasumoto, T.; Daly,
J. W. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 1992, 227, 43.
(8) Gallimore, A. R.; Spencer, J. B. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2006, 45,
4406.
(9) Nicolaou, K. C.; Frederick, M. O. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2007, 46,
5278.
(10) Nicolaou, K. C.; Cole, K. P.; Frederick, M. O.; Aversa, R. J.; Denton,
R. M. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 8875.
(11) Nicolaou, K. C.; Frederick, M. O.; Burtoloso, A. C. B.; Denton, R. M.;
Rivas, F.; Cole, K. P.; Aversa, R. J.; Gibe, R.; Umezawa, T.; Suzuki,
T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 7466.
9
10.1021/ja102260q  2010 American Chemical Society
J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 2010, 132, 6855–6861 6855

A R T I C L E S
Nicolaou et al.
Figure 1. Structure of maitotoxin (1), previously synthesized GHIJKLMNO domain 2, and targeted ABCDEFG fragment 3.
for further support of the structure of maitotoxin, and as a
prelude to a possible synthesis of large domains of this molecule
for biological investigations, we undertook the construction of
a number of other fragments of the natural product. In this article
we describe the synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of the
ABCDEFG polycyclic system 3 (Figure 1).
2. Results and Discussion
The selection of fragment 3 and the design of its synthesis
took into account the potential for further elaboration of key
intermediates to larger fragments of maitotoxin, such as the
decapentacyclic ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO domain. The immedi-
ate objective of this study, however, was to compare the NMR
spectroscopic data of the synthetic material (3) with those of
the corresponding region of the natural product as a means to
confirm its originally assigned stereochemical configuration.12
2.1. Retrosynthetic Analysis. From the outset, our retrosyn-
thetic analysis was based on the desire to devise a strategy
toward fragment 3 that would be highly convergent and applied
our practical and successful furan-based technologies for the
construction of tetrahydropyran systems,9,10 a strategy which
has also been explored by others.13 In addition, we sought to
accommodate the possibility of employing an advanced inter-
mediate to synthesize the entire ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO domain
of maitotoxin at a later time. Figure 2 outlines the retrosynthetic
(12) For a review on wrongly assigned structures to natural products, see:
Nicolaou, K. C.; Snyder, S. A. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 1012.
(13) (a) Guo, H.; O’Doherty, G. A. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 5206.
(b) Zhou, M.; O’Doherty, G. A. J. Org. Chem. 2007, 72, 2485. (c)
Guo, H.; O’Doherty, G. A. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 1609. (d) Harris, J. M.;
Keranen, M. D.; Nguyen, H.; Young, V. G.; O’Doherty, G. A.
Carbohydr. Res. 2000, 328, 17. (e) Li, M.; Scott, J.; O’Doherty, G. A.
Tetrahedron Lett. 2004, 45, 1005. (g) Henderson, J. A.; Jackson, K. L.;
Phillips, A. J. Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 5299. (h) Jackson, K. L.; Henderson,
J. A.; Motoyoshi, H.; Phillips, A. J. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2009, 48,
2346. (i) Krishna, U. M.; Srikanth, G. S. C.; Trivedi, G. K. Tetrahedron
Lett. 2003, 44, 8277.
Figure 2. Retrosynthetic analysis of ABCDEFG heptacyclic system 3.
analysis of the ABCDEFG ring system 3. Thus, sequential
disconnection (Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination; cy-
9
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Synthesis of the ABCDEFG Ring System of Maitotoxin
A R T I C L E S
Scheme 2. Completion of the Synthesis of AB Ring System 7a
Scheme 1. Furan-Based Synthesis of A Ring Building Block 17a
a Reagents and conditions: (a) n-BuLi (2.5 M in hexanes, 1.0 equiv),
THF, -78 °C, 15 min; then 11 (1.0 equiv), -78 °C, 2.5 h, 62% plus 20%
recovered starting material (10); (b) PivCl (1.2 equiv), Et3N (3.0 equiv),
DMAP (0.1 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 20 min, 94%; (c) catalyst 13 (0.01
equiv), n-Bu4NCl (0.3 equiv), HCO2Na (10.0 equiv), CH2Cl2/H2O (1:1),
25 °C, 48 h, 97% (94% ee by Naproxen ester NMR spectroscopic analysis);
(d) BnBr (2.5 equiv), n-Bu4NI (0.5 equiv), NaH (60% in mineral oil, 4.0
equiv), THF, 0 f 25 °C, 16 h, quant.; (e) 2.0 M aq. HCl/THF (1:2), 25 °C,
quant.; (f) 15 (1.0 equiv), n-Bu2BOTf (1.0 M in CH2Cl2, 1.2 equiv), Et3N
(1.3 equiv), -78 f 0 °C, CH2Cl2, 45 min; then 14, -78 f 0 °C, 4.5 h,
98%; (g) m-CPBA (1.2 equiv), CH2Cl2, 0 f 25 °C 2.5 h; then Et3SiH (2.0
equiv), BF3•OEt2 (2.0 equiv), -50 f -10 °C, 20 min, 75%.
a Reagents and conditions: (a) NaBH4 (4.0 equiv), CeCl3 (2.0 equiv),
CH2Cl2/MeOH (1:1), -30 f -10 °C, 15 min, 80%; (b) BnBr (25 equiv),
n-Bu4NI (0.75 equiv), NaOH (25% aq.)/PhMe (1:1), 25 °C, 48 h, 91%; (c)
m-CPBA (3.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 48 h, 71% (5:1 dr); (d) BnOH (2.5
equiv), BF3•OEt2, CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 18 h, 91%; (e) (COCl)2 (2.0 equiv),
DMSO (4.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, -78 °C, 2 h; then Et3N (6.0 equiv), 0 °C, 1 h;
(f) NaBH4 (2.0 equiv), MeOH, -78 °C, 45 min, 64% over the two steps;
(g) Dibal-H (1.0 M in CH2Cl2, 2.5 equiv), CH2Cl2, -78 °C, 1 h, 83%; (h)
PhI(OAc)2 (5.0 equiv), TEMPO (0.2 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 48 h, 92%; (i)
(PhO)2P(O)Cl (10.0 equiv), KHMDS (0.5 M in PhMe, 3.0 equiv), THF/
HMPA (10:1), -78 °C, 30 min, 97%.
clization/reduction) of target 3 as shown led to G ring aldehyde
4 and ABCDE pentacyclic system 6 as possible precursors.
While G building block 4 could be connected directly to furfuryl
alcohol 5,10 the ABCDE pentacyclic intermediate 6 had to be
further disconnected to smaller fragments that could be traced
back to simple furan derivatives. Thus, disassembly of ring C
within 6 through a B-alkyl Suzuki coupling14 and an S,O-acetal
formation/methylation as shown revealed AB endocyclic ketene
acetal phosphate 7 and DE exocyclic vinyl ether 8 as the
required building blocks. These fragments were then connected
to furfural (9) and furfuryl alcohol (5), respectively, through
envisioned routes based on the furan-based synthetic technology.
2.2. Furan-Based Construction of the AB and DE
Building Blocks 7 and 8. With sufficient quantities of ring G
building block 4 available to us through our previously
developed route to a closely related fragment from furfuryl
alcohol 5,10,15 we focused on the synthesis of the AB and DE
building blocks 7 and 8.
transfer hydrogenation [HCO2Na, n-Bu4Cl, 13 (cat.)]16 to afford
the corresponding alcohol in 97% yield and 94% ee (Naproxen
ester NMR spectroscopic analysis). This alcohol was then
protected as its benzyl ether (NaH, BnBr, quant.), and the
aldehyde moiety was liberated through the action of aq. HCl
(quant.) to afford furfural derivative 14. Aldol reaction of
aldehyde 14 with Evans chiral auxiliary 15 (n-Bu2BOTf, Et3N)17
furnished furfuryl alcohol 16 in 98% yield as a single diaste-
reomer. Treatment of 16 with m-CPBA followed by addition
of Et3SiH and BF3•OEt2 resulted in the formation of enone 17
through Achmatowicz rearrangement18 and subsequent reduction
of the resulting hemiketal product in 75% overall yield. This
one-pot procedure was routinely carried out on 50 g scale and
provided ample quantities of key intermediate 17 for further
elaboration. Thus, and as shown in Scheme 2, 17 was reduced
under Luche conditions (NaBH4, CeCl3)19 to afford the corre-
sponding diol (80% yield), whose benzylation (NaOH, BnBr)
led to bis-benzyl ether 18 in 91% yield. As suspected, direct
dihydroxylation of 18 proceeded from the wrong side of the
molecule (R face); therefore, the desired diol was obtained Via
an indirect method involving stereoselective epoxidation (m-
CPBA, 71% yield, ca. 5:1 dr), epoxide opening with
BnOH-BF3•OEt2 to afford tetrabenzyl ether 19 (91% yield),
Scheme 1 summarizes the construction of ring A intermediate
17 from furfural-derived ethylene ketal 10. Thus, lithiation of
10 (n-BuLi) followed by addition of γ-lactone 11 (62% yield,
82% based on 20% recovered starting material) resulted, after
pivaloate installation (PivCl, Et3N, 94% yield), in the formation
of ketone 12. Ketone 12 was subjected to Noyori asymmetric
(16) (a) Fujii, A.; Hashiguchi, S.; Uematsu, N.; Ikariya, T.; Noyori, R. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 2521. (b) Ferrie, L.; Reymond, S.; Capdevielle,
P.; Cossy, J. Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 2461.
(14) (a) Sasaki, M.; Fuwa, H.; Inoue, M.; Tachibana, K. Tetrahedron Lett.
1998, 39, 9027. (b) Sasaki, M.; Fuwa, H.; Ishikawa, M.; Tachibana,
K. Org. Lett. 1999, 1, 1075. (c) Sasaki, M.; Ishikawa, M.; Fuwa, H.;
Tachibana, K. Tetrahedron 2002, 58, 1889. For a comprehensive
review of applications of B-alkyl Suzuki couplings in total synthesis,
see: (d) Chemler, S. R.; Trauner, D.; Danishefsky, S. J. Angew. Chem.,
Int. Ed. 2001, 40, 4544.
(17) (a) Evans, D. A.; Bartroli, J.; Shih, T. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1981,
103, 2126. (b) Ager, D. J.; Allen, D. R.; Shaad, D. R. Synthesis 1996,
1283. (c) Burke, M. D.; Berger, E. M.; Schreiber, S. L. J. Am. Chem.
Soc. 2004, 126, 14095.
(18) Achmatowicz, O.; Bielski, R. Carbohydr. Res. 1977, 55, 165.
(19) Luche, J. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1978, 100, 2226.
(15) For full details, see Supporting Information.
9
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A R T I C L E S
Nicolaou et al.
Scheme 3. Furan-Based Synthesis of D Ring Intermediate 29a
Scheme 4. Completion of the Synthesis of the DE Ring Coupling
Partner 8a
a Reagents and conditions: (a) 22 (1.2 equiv), n-BuLi (2.5 M in hexanes,
1.2 equiv), THF, -78 f 0 °C, 1 h; then 23 (1.0 equiv), -78 f 0 °C, 1 h,
84%; (b) CSA (0.1 equiv), CH2Cl2/MeOH (5:1), 25 °C, 1 h, 97%; (c) PivCl
(1.2 equiv), Et3N (2.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 12 h, 93%; (d) ent-13 (0.02
equiv), n-Bu4NCl (0.3 equiv), HCO2Na (10.0 equiv), CH2Cl2/H2O (1:1),
25 °C, 24 h, 94% (g95% ee by Naproxen ester NMR spectroscopic
analysis); (e) m-CPBA (1.2 equiv), CH2Cl2, 0 f 25 °C, 2 h; (f) Et3SiH
(3.0 equiv), BF3•OEt2 (2.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, -78 f -20 °C, 3 h, 74% over
the two steps; (g) MeMgBr (2.0 equiv), THF, -78 °C, 2 h, 80%; (h)
TMSOTf (1.5 equiv), Et3N (2.5 equiv), CH2Cl2, -78 °C, 1 h, 98%; (i)
diisoamylborane (4.0 equiv), THF, -78 f 0 °C, 72 h; then H2O2 (35%
aq., 40 equiv), NaOH (1.0 M aq., 80 equiv), 25 °C, 5 h, 75%; (j)
PMBOC(NH)CCl3 (2.0 equiv), La(OTf)3 (0.05 equiv), PhMe, 25 °C, 3 h,
96%; (k) Dibal-H (2.2 equiv), CH2Cl2, -78 °C, 84%.
a Reagents and conditions: (a) DMP (1.5 equiv), NaHCO3 (5.0 equiv),
CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 1 h; (b) 31 (2.5 equiv), n-BuLi (2.5 M in hexanes, 2.5
equiv), THF, -78 f -40 °C, 10 min; then 30 (1.0 equiv), -78 f -50
°C, 1.5 h, 86% over the two steps; (c) K2CO3 (5.0 equiv), MeOH, 25 °C,
30 min, 99%; (d) DMP (1.5 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 1 h, 91%; (e) AgOTf
(0.9 equiv), CH2Cl2, -40 °C, 20 h, 76%; (f) (R)-CBS (1.0 M in PhMe, 1.5
equiv), BH3•THF (1.0 M in THF, 1.5 equiv), PhMe, -50 f -20 °C, 1 h,
93%; (g) TBSCl (6.0 equiv), imid. (10.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 1 h, 98%;
(h) BH3•THF (1.0 M in THF, 10 equiv), THF, 0 °C, 18 h; then H2O2 (35%
aq., 100 equiv), NaOH (1.0 M aq., 200 equiv), 25 °C, 6 h, 54%; (i) TBAF
(1.0 M in THF, 5.0 equiv), THF, 25 °C, 16 h, quant.; (j) n-Bu2SnO (1.0
equiv), PhMe, 110 °C, 12 h; then BnBr (1.5 equiv), n-Bu4NI (1.0 equiv),
100 °C, 4.5 h, 85%; (k) TsCl (3.0 equiv), Et3N (6.0 equiv), DMAP (0.1
equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 f 45 °C, 20 h; (l) NaI (10.0 equiv), DME, 85 °C, 7 h,
89% over the two steps; (m) KOt-Bu (12 equiv), THF, 0 °C, 16 h; then
PMBCl (5.0 equiv), NaH (60% suspension in mineral oil, 10.0 equiv),
n-Bu4NI (0.5 equiv), 25 °C, 36 h, 88%.
and oxidation-reduction (Swern [O]; NaBH4) to afford hydroxy
compound 20 (64% yield overall for the two steps) after
chromatographic purification. Removal of the pivaloate group
(Dibal-H, 83% yield) followed by oxidative lactonization
[PhI(OAc)2, TEMPO] then led to AB ring system 21 in 92%
yield. Finally, and in preparation for the planned Suzuki
coupling, lactone 21 was converted to ketene acetal phosphate
7
in 97% yield through reaction with KHMDS and
(PhO)2POCl.20
satisfactory yields. Introduction of the methyl group in the
growing molecule was then achieved stereoselectively and
exclusively in a 1,2-fashion by reaction of enone 26 with
MeMgBr (80% yield) to afford, after silylation of the resulting
tertiary alcohol (TMSOTf, 98% yield), TMS ether 27. The
axially disposed methyl group within compound 27 played a
crucial role in the exclusive regio- and stereoselective addition
of diisoamylborane across the double bond to afford, upon
oxidative workup (corresponding alcohol, 75% yield) and PMB
ether formation [PMBOC(NH)CCl3, La(OTf)3, 98% yield], fully
protected D ring system 28.21 The pivaloate group was then
removed (Dibal-H, 84% yield) to afford the desired primary
alcohol 29.
Scheme 4 summarizes the completion of the synthesis of the
targeted DE fragment 8 that involved a silver-promoted cy-
clization of a hydroxy ynone (32f33) followed by stereose-
lective elaboration of the resulting bicycle to the desired system.
Thus, lithiation of acetylenic compound 31 (obtained from (S)-
glycidol through a standard, five-step sequence)15 followed by
addition of aldehyde 30 (obtained by DMP oxidation of alcohol
29) led to a diastereomeric mixture of secondary alcohols (86%
The construction of the other defined coupling partner (i.e.,
8) for the proposed Suzuki coupling required D ring intermediate
29 and involved the Noyori reduction/Achmatowicz rearrange-
ment sequence which proceeded through enone 26 as shown in
Scheme 3. Thus, lithiation of the TBDPS derivative (22) of
furfuryl alcohol (n-BuLi) followed by addition of amide 23
(available in two steps from glycolic acid)13e provided the
corresponding acyl furan derivative in 84% yield. Protecting
group exchange (desilylation with CSA, 97% yield; pivaloyla-
tion with PivCl, 93% yield) then led to pivaloate 24. Asymmetric
reduction of 24, employing the Noyori protocol [HCO2Na,
n-Bu4Cl, ent-13 (cat.)], delivered enantioenriched secondary
alcohol 25 in 94% yield and g95% ee (Naproxen ester NMR
spectroscopic analysis). Conversion of furanyl alcohol 25 to
enone 26 was effectively carried out through the Achmatowicz
rearrangement/reduction sequence (m-CPBA; then Et3SiH,
BF3•OEt2) in 74% overall yield. In contrast to the one-pot
conversion of 16 to 17 (Scheme 1) described above, this
transformation required removal of the m-CPBA-derived byprod-
ucts by standard workup prior to the reduction step for
(20) Nicolaou, K. C.; Shi, G.-Q.; Gunzner, J. L.; Ga¨rtner, P.; Yang, Z.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 5467.
(21) Rai, A. N.; Basu, A. Tetrahedron Lett. 2003, 44, 2267.
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Synthesis of the ABCDEFG Ring System of Maitotoxin
A R T I C L E S
Scheme 5. Synthesis of ABCDE Ring System 39a
yield, ca. 7:1 dr), which was subjected to sequential selective
desilylation (K2CO3, MeOH, 99% yield) and DMP oxidation
to afford hydroxy ynone 32 in 91% yield. Exposure of the latter
to AgOTf22,10 caused ring closure, furnishing DE ring enone
33 in 76% yield. (R)-CBS reduction23 of enone 33 resulted in
the selective formation of the corresponding R-hydroxy com-
pound (93% yield), whose reaction with TBSCl and imidazole
furnished, after hydroboration (BH3•THF) and oxidative workup,
hydroxy TBS ether 34 (53% overall yield for the two steps).
The installment of the bulky TBS group prior to the hydrobo-
ration step ensured the diastereoselectivity of the reaction, thus
securing the desired stereochemical configuration around ring
E. Desilylation of 34 with excess TBAF led to the corresponding
triol (quant.), whose selective benzylation was achieved with
BnBr and n-Bu4NI under the facilitating influence of n-Bu2SnO
to afford diol 35 in 85% overall yield.24 DE bicyclic enol ether
8 was then derived from diol 35 through a three-step sequence
involving selective tosylation of the primary hydroxyl group
(TsCl, Et3N), iodide formation (NaI, 89% yield for the two
steps), base-induced elimination (KOt-Bu), and PMB ether
formation (NaH, PMBCl). The last two operations were carried
out in the same pot and proceeded in 88% overall yield.
2.3. Fragment Coupling and Completion of the Synthesis
of the Maitotoxin ABCDEFG Ring System. With ample quanti-
ties of both fragments (7 and 8) in hand, we proceeded to explore
their union through the planned B-alkyl Suzuki coupling. It was
upon considerable experimentation that we discovered the
critical factors necessary for success in this reaction. Thus, an
excess of cyclic vinyl ether partner 8 and relatively larger
amounts of Buchwald’s SPhos ligand25 were needed for this
process, which proceeded smoothly under the developed condi-
tions [8 (1.5 equiv), 9-BBN; then aq. KHCO3; then 7 (1.0 equiv),
SPhos (0.3 equiv), Pd(OAc)2 (0.15 equiv), 25 °C, 72 h] to afford
coupling product 36 in 90% yield (based on phosphate 7; the
excess of vinyl ether 8 was converted to the corresponding
alcohol via its borane by oxidative workup and could be
recycled). In preparation for the fusion of ring C, vinyl ether
36 was regio- and stereoselectively hydroborated and converted
to the corresponding R and ꢀ alcohols upon oxidative workup
(85% combined yield, R:ꢀ ca. 4.5:1 dr). The two isomers were
chromatographically separated and oxidized separately with
DMP to afford the respective ketones (epimeric at C23, maito-
toxin numbering) [37 (97% yield) and C23-epi-37 (84% yield)].
Equilibration of the wrong diastereomer (i.e., C23-epi-37) with
imidazole at 105 °C delivered a chromatographically separable
mixture of 37 and C23-epi-37 (ca. 2.5:1 ratio, 91% combined
yield), from which further amounts of the desired ketone isomer
37 could be obtained.26 Treatment of 37 with EtSH in the
presence of Zn(OTf)2 caused sequential cleavage of the PMB
groups within the substrate and thioacetalization to provide the
corresponding hydroxy cyclic S,O-acetal, from which the TES
protected S,O-acetal 38 was generated (TESCl, imid., 91%
overall yield for the two steps). Finally, fully protected ABCDE
ring system 39 (Scheme 5) was generated from 38 through
a Reagents and conditions: (a) 8 (1.5 equiv), 9-BBN (0.5 M in THF, 4.5
equiv), THF, 25 °C, 4 h; then KHCO3 (0.5 M aq., 13.5 equiv), 25 °C, 20
min; then 7, SPhos (0.3 equiv), Pd(OAc)2 (0.15 equiv), 25 °C, 72 h, 90%;
(b) BH3•THF (1.0 M in THF, 10.0 equiv), THF, 0 °C, 18 h; then H2O2
(35% aq., 100 equiv), NaOH (1.0 M aq., 200 equiv), 25 °C, 6 h, 70% (R-
diastereomer) plus 15% (ꢀ-diastereomer); (c) DMP (4.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, 0
f 25 °C, 2 h, 97% for 37, 84% for C23-epi-37; (d) imid. (200 equiv), PhMe,
105 °C, 120 h, 65% plus 26% recovered starting material (C23-epi-37); (e)
37 (1.0 equiv), Zn(OTf)2 (5.0 equiv), EtSH:CH2Cl2 (1:5), 25 °C, 20 h; (f)
TESCl (10.0 equiv), imid. (20 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 1 h, 91% over the
two steps; (g) m-CPBA (2.5 equiv), CH2Cl2, 0 °C, 30 min; then AlMe3
(2.0 M in hexanes, 5.0 equiv), 0 °C, 30 min, 94%.
sequential m-CPBA oxidation (to afford the corresponding
sulfone) and axial methyl group installment (AlMe3, same pot)
in 94% overall yield.
As a prelude to growing the synthesized pentacyclic fragment
of maitotoxin to include rings G and F, ABCDE ring system
39 was transformed to ketophosphonate 6. Scheme 6 depicts
the developed sequence to the latter intermediate, its coupling
with G ring aldehyde 4, and the elaboration of the resulting
product to the targeted maitotoxin ABCDEFG ring system 3.
Thus, selective primary TES removal from 39 (PPTS,
CH2Cl2-MeOH, 88% yield) followed by NMO-TPAP (cat.)
oxidation of the resulting primary alcohol yielded aldehyde 40
(78% yield). Addition of the lithio derivative of dimethyl
methylphosphonate [(MeO)2P(O)CH3, n-BuLi] to aldehyde 40
followed by DMP oxidation of the so obtained secondary alcohol
furnished ketophosphonate 6 in 66% overall yield (plus 17%
recovered starting material 40). The Horner-Wadsworth-
Emmons coupling of ketophosphonate 6 with G ring aldehyde
(22) Wang, C.; Forsyth, C. J. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 2997.
(23) (a) Corey, E. J.; Bakshi, R. K.; Shibata, S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1987,
109, 5551. (b) Corey, E. J.; Bakshi, R. K.; Shibata, S.; Chen, C.-P.;
Singh, V. K. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1987, 109, 7925. (c) Corey, E. J.;
Helal, C. J. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 1998, 37, 1987.
(24) David, S.; Hanessian, S. Tetrahedron 1985, 41, 643.
(25) Barder, T. E.; Walker, S. D.; Martinelli, J. R.; Buchwald, S. L. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 4685.
(26) Johnson, H. W. B.; Majumder, U.; Rainer, J. D. J. Am. Chem. Soc.
2005, 127, 848.
4
10,15 proceeded smoothly under the Masamune-Roush condi-
9
J. AM. CHEM. SOC. VOL. 132, NO. 19, 2010 6859

A R T I C L E S
Nicolaou et al.
Scheme 6. Completion of the Synthesis of the Maitotoxin ABCDEFG Ring System 3a
a Reagents and conditions: (a) PPTS (0.5 equiv), CH2Cl2/MeOH (10:1), 0 °C, 1 h, 88%; (b) NMO (3.0 equiv), TPAP (0.1 equiv), 4 Å MS, CH2Cl2/MeCN
(9:1), 25 °C, 30 min, 78%; (c) (MeO)2P(O)CH3 (5.0 equiv), n-BuLi (2.5 M in hexanes, 5.0 equiv), THF, -78 °C, 1 h; then 40 (1.0 equiv), -78 °C, 2.5 h;
(d) DMP (3.0 equiv), CH2Cl2, 25 °C, 30 min, 66% over the two steps plus 17% recovered starting material (40); (e) i-Pr2NEt (3.0 equiv), LiCl (3.0 equiv),
4 (1.4 equiv), MeCN, 25 °C, 72 h, 91% (95% brsm); (f) TsOH (3.0 equiv), MeOH/CH2Cl2 (3:1), 25 °C, 2 h; (g) Et3SiH (10.0 equiv), TMSOTf (5.0 equiv),
MeCN, -40 f -25 °C, 30 min, 69% over the two steps; (h) NMO (3.0 equiv), OsO4 (2.5 wt % in t-BuOH, 0.05 equiv), acetone/H2O (4:1), 72 h, 61%, plus
26% of the opposite diastereomer; (i) 20% Pd(OH)2/C (50% w/w), H2, EtOH, 6 d, 97%.
Table 1. C13 to C44 and C147 to C149 Chemical Shifts (δ) for
tions (i-Pr2NEt, LiCl)27 to afford enone 41 in 91% yield (plus
4% recovered starting material 6). From the latter intermediate
Maitotoxin (MTX, 1) and ABCDEFG Ring System 3 and Their
Differences (∆δ, ppm)a
to the final targeted product of ABCDEFG ring system 3, all
that remained to be accomplished was forging of ring F and
functionalization of the linker between the resulting fused
hexacyclic system and ring G. To this end, enone 41 was treated
with TsOH in MeOH/CH2Cl2 (3:1), conditions that facilitated
formation of the F ring-containing heptacycle as its mixed
methoxy acetal 42, of which reduction with Et3SiH in the
presence of TMSOTf led to advanced intermediate 43 in 69%
overall yield for the two steps. Initial attempts to install
stereoselectively the missing 1,2-diol on substrate 43 through a
Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation28 were met with difficul-
ties, presumably due to steric congestion around the olefinic
bond, forcing us to resort to the simpler NMO-OsO4 (cat.)
protocol. Under the latter conditions, diol 44 was obtained as a
mixture with its opposite diastereomer (ca. 3:1 dr), from which
the desired isomer was isolated in 61% yield.6a,7a Finally, global
debenzylation [H2, Pd(OH)2 (cat.)] revealed the targeted AB-
CDEFG maitotoxin fragment 3 in 97% yield.
δ for
MTX (1)
(ppm)
δ for 3
(ppm)
difference
(∆δ, ppm)
carbon
13
14
147
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
148
23
24
25
26
27
28
149
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
78.8
35.8
11.0
74.8
69.0
72.4
76.0
76.8
71.4
48.3
79.1
21.5
76.7
34.4
80.7
69.8
45.0
75.4
17.9
86.0
69.6
85.4
68.2
38.8
66.5
81.0
73.1
67.3
37.4
72.3
78.9
68.5
80.6
69.6
36.3
65.8
36.9
10.5
75.1
69.4
72.4
76.5
76.7
71.5
48.3
79.6
21.6
76.5
34.4
80.7
69.7
44.9
75.3
17.9
86.0
69.7
85.3
66.2
38.8
66.3
81.0
73.0
67.5
37.8
73.5
73.3
72.7
69.4
74.0
64.6
13.0
-1.1
0.5
-0.3
-0.4
0.0
-0.5
0.1
-0.1
0.0
-0.5
-0.1
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
-0.1
0.1
2.0
0.0
2.4. Comparison of 13C NMR Chemical Shifts of the
ABCDEFG Ring System 3 with Those Corresponding to the
Same Region of Maitotoxin. NMR spectroscopic analysis of
synthetic ABCDEFG fragment 3 confirmed its expected ster-
eochemical configurations and allowed assignment of all its 13
C
0.2
0.0
0.1
(27) Blanchette, M. A.; Choy, W.; Davis, J. T.; Essenfeld, A. P.; Masamune,
S.; Roush, W. R.; Sakai, T. Tetrahedron Lett. 1984, 25, 2183.
(28) (a) Hentges, S. G.; Sharpless, K. B. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1980, 102,
4263. (b) Kwong, H.-L.; Sorato, C.; Ogino, Y.; Chen, H.; Sharpless,
K. B. Tetrahedron Lett. 1990, 31, 2999. (c) Sharpless, K. B.; Amberg,
W.; Bennani, Y. L.; Crispino, G. A.; Hartung, J.; Jeong, K.-S.; Kwong,
H.-L.; Morikawa, K.; Wang, Z.-M.; Xu, D.; Zhang, X.-L. J. Org.
Chem. 1992, 57, 2768. (d) Kolb, H. C.; VanNieuwenhze, M. S.;
Sharpless, K. B. Chem. ReV. 1994, 94, 2483.
-0.2
-0.4
-1.2
5.6
-4.2
11.2
-4.4
-28.3
(29) The stereochemistry and 13C chemical shift assignments of 3 were
based on 1H coupling constants and COSY, ROESY, HSQC, and
HMBC NMR spectroscopic experiments.
a 150 MHz, 1:1 methanol-d4/pyridine-d5.
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6860 J. AM. CHEM. SOC. VOL. 132, NO. 19, 2010

Synthesis of the ABCDEFG Ring System of Maitotoxin
A R T I C L E S
Figure 3. Graphically depicted 13C chemical shift differences (∆δ, ppm) for each carbon between C13 to C44 and C147 to C149 for maitotoxin (1) and
ABCDEFG ring system 3.
NMR chemical shifts.29 These are listed in Table 1, together
with the values reported5d for the same carbons (C13 to C44 and
C147 to C149) within the corresponding region of maitotoxin. As
seen from the small differences between these values (∆δ, ppm,
see Table 1), which are also graphically depicted in Figure 3,
there is compelling agreement between the two sets of chemical
shifts (δ, ppm) for the two structures, except for those carbons
residing at the edges of these structural motifs due to the
drastically different structural features at these locations. Thus,
the average chemical shift difference (∆δ) between the two sets
of values for the C15 to C38 and C147 to C149 is 0.22 ppm, and
the maximum difference for a given carbon is 2.0 ppm (C32).
These compelling experimental values provide strong support
for the originally assigned structure5–7 to the ABCDEFG region
of maitotoxin (1).
assigned structure to this region of maitotoxin through 13C NMR
spectroscopic analysis and comparisons with the reported data
for the same region of the natural product.5d The success of the
developed synthetic route demonstrates the power of the furan-
based, Noyori reduction/Achmatowicz rearrangement approach
to tetrahydropyran building blocks suitable for incorporation
into polyether assemblies of the type found in maitotoxin and
other marine neurotoxins.30
Acknowledgment. We thank Drs. D.-H. Huang and G. Siuzdak
for spectroscopic and mass spectrometric assistance, respectively.
Financial support for this work was provided by the National
Institutes of Health (U.S.A.), The Skaggs Institute of Chemical
Biology, UCSD/SDSU IRACDA (postdoctoral fellowship to F.R.),
and A*STAR Singapore (postdoctoral fellowship to J.J.).
3. Conclusion
Note Added after ASAP Publication. In the version published
April 23, 2010, there was an error in the Supporting Information
on page S117. This has been corrected, and the revised Supporting
Information has been published with the article on May 12, 2010.
The described chemistry provides access to the ABCDEFG
fragment of maitotoxin for biological investigations and opens
a possible pathway to the construction of larger domains of this
biotoxin. It also secures further support for the originally
Supporting Information Available: Scheme for the synthesis
of G ring aldehyde 4, experimental procedures, and character-
ization data for all compounds. This material is available free
of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.
(30) For selected reviews on the synthesis of fused polyether natural
products, see: (a) Nicolaou, K. C.; Frederick, M. O.; Aversa, R. J.
Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 7182. (b) Nicolaou, K. C. Angew.
Chem., Int. Ed. Engl. 1996, 35, 588. (c) Nakata, T. Chem. ReV. 2005,
105, 4314. (d) Inoue, M. Chem. ReV. 2005, 105, 4379. (e) Sasaki, M.
Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 2007, 80, 856.
JA102260Q
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