J. S. Dickschat and R. Riclea
(2E,6E)-5a the two epoxidation steps can also proceed to
10ab that is the precursor for 1ab (Scheme 2B). This path-
way is in agreement with the published relative configura-
tion of 1. If the rather unusual linear precursor (2E,6Z)-5b
is used, the subsequent steps lead via epoxidations to 10ba,
the precursor of 1ba (Scheme 2C). This molecule again
matches the published relative configuration of natural 1.
Alternative epoxidations result in the fourth possible stereo-
isomer 1bb via 10bb, again in contradiction to the published
relative configuration of 1 (Scheme 2D).
In summary, these considerations demonstrate that the
most likely biosynthetic pathways to the glaciapyrrols start-
ing from (2E,6E)-FPP open up two different possibilities for
the relative configuration of 1, depending on the stereo-
chemical course of the epoxidation steps, that may either
match or mismatch the published relative configuration of
the natural product, whereas the rather unusual (2E,6Z)-
FPP precursor can provide two further stereoisomers by ste-
reochemically different epoxidations. Since the relative con-
figuration of 1 was not fully known and our biosynthetic
considerations did not allow for a reliable prediction all four
stereoisomers were synthesised to unambiguously assign the
structure of the natural product.
from two acyclic terpenoid (E)- and (Z)-diastereoisomers,
similar as discussed above for the biosynthetic pathways to
the four isomers of 1. In this sense the Ru-catalysed cyclisa-
tion can be regarded as biomimetic.
Building block B was synthesised from ethyl 3-methylbut-
2-enoate (11) by radical bromination with NBS and AIBN[6]
resulting in required (Z)- and (E)-ethyl 4-bromo-3-methyl-
but-2-enoate (12, Scheme 4). These diastereomers could be
separated by repetitive column chromatography on silica gel
yielding 47% of (Z)-12 and 39% of (E)-12. The configura-
tions of both products were unambiguously assigned by
NOEDS. The pure (Z)-12 was converted into the phospho-
nate ester 13 in an Arbusov reaction in refluxing triethyl
phosphite.[6]
Scheme 4. Synthesis of building block B for the synthesis of four stereo-
isomers of glaciapyrrol A (1). a) NBS, AIBN, CCl4, reflux/3 h, 47% (Z)-
12 and 39% (E)-12; b) PACTHNUTRGNE(UNG OEt)3, 1708C/15 min, 76% from pure (Z)-12.
The retrosynthetic analysis of all four stereoisomers of 1
is presented in Scheme 3. The pyrrole moiety can be intro-
duced by an acylation of N-metallated pyrrole (A). The E
selective Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) reaction can
be used to build up the 7Z,9E dienone portion of 1. For the
HWE reaction a phosphonate ester is required that can be
synthesised by radical bromination of ethyl 3-methylbut-2-
enoate followed by Arbusov reaction (B). The bis-protected
diol-aldehyde (C) for the HWE reaction contains all three
stereocentres of 1. Stark and co-workers described a Ru-cat-
alysed method for the synthesis of tetrahydrofurans that can
be used for the preparation of all four diastereomeric alde-
hydes from geraniol or nerol, respectively.[5] It is intriguing
that these four isomers are chemically accessible starting
The further synthesis of glaciapyrrol A was performed as
outlined in Scheme 5. The reported Ru-catalysed oxidative
cyclisation[5] of geranyl benzoate in THF/CH2Cl2 (9:1) selec-
tively yielded 14bb, whereas the same reaction in THF/
CH2Cl2 (1:1) resulted in a mixture of 14bb and 14ba
(d.r. 1.5:1) that can be separated by column chromatogra-
phy. Starting from neryl benzoate, the same reaction in
THF/CH2Cl2 (9:1) yielded 14aa, or 14aa and 14ab
(d.r. 1:1.6) in THF/CH2Cl2 (1:1), i. e. all four diastereomers
of 14 for the synthesis of the targeted glaciapyrrol A stereo-
isomers are available from geraniol or nerol, respectively.
TBS protection with TBSOTf[7] gave the bis-TBS ethers 15
in high yields (91–94%). Removal of the benzoate moiety
was performed with EtMgBr[8] to release the primary alco-
hols 16 (82–97%) that were oxidised to the aldehydes 17
with PCC (81–100%). Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons reac-
tion with the phosphonate 13 resulted in the esters 18 with
high E selectivity for the newly formed olefinic bond, but a
configurational isomerisation of the second double bond
was observed resulting in the formation of (2Z,4E)- and
(2E,4E)-18 with 2Z/2E ratios between 1.4:1 and 1:1.7 and
high yields of 84–94% (sum of 2Z and 2E isomers). The
(2Z,4E)- and (2E,4E)-stereoisomers could be separated by
column chromatography in all four cases, and all eight ob-
tained esters were saponified with NaOH to yield the E/Z-
configurationally stable carboxylic acids 19 (88–100%).
Their transformation with 2,2’-dipyridyl disulfide and PPh3
into the S-(2-pyridyl)thioate esters followed by a reaction
with pyrrol-1-ylmagnesium chloride[9] gave the bis-TBS pro-
tected glaciapyrrols A (20) with partial Z/E isomerisation
during the reaction in all eight cases. From the four stereo-
isomers of (2Z)-19 the compounds 20 were obtained in 73–
99% yield with Z/E isomerisation of about 25–75% of the
Scheme 3. Retrosynthetic analysis of four stereoisomers of glaciapyrrol A
(1). PG=protecting group.
11932
ꢂ 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Chem. Eur. J. 2011, 17, 11930 – 11934