10.1248/cpb.48.1833
The research describes the first total synthesis of mytiloxanthin 2, a compound with a unique cyclopentyl enolic β-diketone group conjugated to the polyene chain. The purpose of this study was to achieve the biomimetic total synthesis of mytiloxanthin 2 using a stereoselective rearrangement of epoxides. Important reagents include p-methoxybenzyloxymethyl (PMBM) chloride for protection, LiAlH? for reduction, o-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) for oxidation, and vinyl bromide 13 for the introduction of the C10-unit. The synthesis involved several steps, including the reduction of ketone 7 to obtain compound 11, conversion to aldehyde 12, and subsequent oxidation to yield ketone 14. The final steps involved the protection of the diketone moiety with an acetyl group to form acetate 17, partial deprotection with tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF), oxidation with IBX, and final deprotection with HF to obtain the cis-β-diketone-aldehyde 8b. The cis-aldehyde 8b was then reacted with the C10-phosphonium salt 19 in the presence of KOH to form an isomeric mixture, which was condensed with the acetylenic Wittig salt 20 to yield mytiloxanthin 2. The spectral data of the synthesized mytiloxanthin 2 were in good agreement with those of a natural specimen, confirming the successful total synthesis.