Switchable molecular tweezers: design and applications

• Pablo Msellem,
• Maksym Dekthiarenko,
• Nihal Hadj Seyd and
• Guillaume Vives

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 504–539, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.45

Anion–π catalysis on carbon allotropes

• M. Ángeles Gutiérrez López,
• Mei-Ling Tan,
• Giacomo Renno,
• Augustina Jozeliūnaitė,
• J. Jonathan Nué-Martinez,
• Javier Lopez-Andarias,
• Naomi Sakai and
• Stefan Matile

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1881–1894, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.140

• tested anion–π catalysts. This result was consistent with the stabilization of the anionic intermediates IX and X and the respective transition states on the polarized fullerene surface. Anion–π autocatalysis on fullerenes The autocatalysis of epoxide-opening ether cyclization on π-acidic aromatic

• catalysis. Moreover, epoxide opening polyether cyclizations are among the most impressive cascade reactions in nature [71][72][73]. Best known is the hypothetical cascade XII in the biosynthesis of brevetoxin B [74]. It affords eleven fused ethers by violating the Eschenmoser–Dunitz–Baldwin guidelines [75

• allotropes for catalysis. In contrast to these conclusions made with modified carbon nanotubes, epoxide-opening ether cyclization of 32 occurred on undermodified fullerene 31 (Figure 6) but not on pristine MWCNTs 3 (Figure 9). Modified carbon nanotubes exert their catalytic power because the tethered base

Germacrene B – a central intermediate in sesquiterpene biosynthesis

• Houchao Xu and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 186–203, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.18

• synthesis from β-eudesmol (30) through epoxidation to 31, dehydration to 32 and epoxide opening with LiAlH4 yielded (−)-11 (Scheme 9C) [77], contradicting this assignment. Notably, Šorm and co-workers noticed that 11 was racemic, because neither 11 nor any of its degradation products showed optical activity

Total synthesis of grayanane natural products

• Nicolas Fay,
• Rémi Blieck,
• Cyrille Kouklovsky and
• Aurélien de la Torre

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1707–1719, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.181

• involves the construction of a tetracyclic structure where rings A and B had the correct arrangement, while rings C and D form a bicyclo[2.2.2]octane structure [31]. The correct bicyclo[3.2.1]octane structure was obtained after a key reductive epoxide opening/Dowd–Beckwith rearrangement cascade. The

• reagent and DMDO could induce an epoxidation on the strained olefin. From intermediate 40, the key reductive epoxide opening/Dowd–Beckwith rearrangement cascade could be performed in the presence of an in situ-generated Ti(III) catalyst. The main side-product of this reaction was due to a simple reductive

• bromide coupling. While both Ding and Luo propose a 1,2-shift relying on epoxide ring-opening as key step, each group proposes a different disconnection. For Ding, the rearrangement forms bond C13–C16 through a Ti(III)-mediated reductive epoxide opening/Dowd–Beckwith rearrangement cascade. This allows to

Heteroleptic metallosupramolecular aggregates/complexation for supramolecular catalysis

• Prodip Howlader and
• Michael Schmittel

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 597–630, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.62

Strategies for the synthesis of brevipolides

• Yudhi D. Kurniawan and
• A'liyatur Rosyidah

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2399–2416, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.157

• -pyrone moiety is obtained via ring-closing metathesis reaction of acrylate ester 80, which in turn can be proposed from allylic alcohol 81 via Furukawa’s modified Simmons–Smith cyclopropanation (Scheme 9). The species 81 can be constructed through the sequential epoxide opening and esterification of

α,γ-Dioxygenated amides via tandem Brook rearrangement/radical oxygenation reactions and their application to syntheses of γ-lactams

• Mikhail K. Klychnikov,
• Radek Pohl,
• Ivana Císařová and
• Ullrich Jahn

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 688–704, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.58

• enantiomerically pure epoxides (S)-7b, (R)-7b, or (S)-7e (Table 2, entries 8–12) at 0 °C. The epoxide opening/Brook rearrangement steps were typically complete after an hour, except for cyclohexene oxide 7f for which the nucleophilic opening and Brook rearrangement steps took 24 h (Table 2, entry 13). Ferrocenium

• enolate formation from 8h,i with s-BuLi, a deuterium quenching experiment with D2O was performed. Analysis by 1H NMR spectroscopy revealed 87 and 91% deuterium incorporation, respectively, indicating that a deprotonation occurred, but the epoxide opening was hampered by the combination of a sterically

• bond cleavage by mCPBA furnishing bicyclo[3.3.0]octandiones 18. The isolation of a mixture of four diastereomers as in the starting material indicates that radical coupling by TEMPO proceeds with exclusive diastereoselectivity (vide infra). Discussion The sequence nucleophilic epoxide opening/Brook

The preparation and properties of 1,1-difluorocyclopropane derivatives

• Kymbat S. Adekenova,
• Peter B. Wyatt and
• Sergazy M. Adekenov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 245–272, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.25

Combining enyne metathesis with long-established organic transformations: a powerful strategy for the sustainable synthesis of bioactive molecules

• Valerian Dragutan,
• Ileana Dragutan,
• Albert Demonceau and
• Lionel Delaude

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 738–755, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.68

• cycloaddition, an epoxidation, and a biomimetic epoxide opening. Synthesis of (−)-amphidinolide E (3) using an intermolecular enyne metathesis as the key step. Synthesis of amphidinolide K (4) by an enyne metathesis route. Trost synthesis of des-epoxy-amphidinolide N (5) [72]. Enyne metathesis between the

Robust perfluorophenylboronic acid-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of 2,3-unsaturated O-, C-, N- and S-linked glycosides

• Madhu Babu Tatina,
• Xia Mengxin,
• Rao Peilin and
• Zaher M. A. Judeh

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1275–1280, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.125

• activation of alcohols [24], epoxide opening [25][26], Friedel–Crafts alkylations [27], dehydrative glycosylation [28] and many other reactions [29][30][31]. The robustness and mildness of organoboronic acid catalysts in comparison to traditional strong Lewis and Brønsted acid catalysts inspired us to

β-Hydroxy sulfides and their syntheses

• Mokgethwa B. Marakalala,
• Edwin M. Mmutlane and
• Henok H. Kinfe

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2018, 14, 1668–1692, doi:10.3762/bjoc.14.143

• acid catalyzed protocols. Many asymmetric versions of epoxide opening by thiols assisted by chiral catalysts have been reported and are part of several reviews [30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. In 1985, Yamashita and Mukaiyama demonstrated the efficacy of zinc L-tartrate as a heterogeneous chiral Lewis

• alternative, Soleiman-Beigi et al. reported an epoxide opening using disulfides in the presence of sodium metal in THF at room temperature (Scheme 23) [59]. The reaction is compatible with different kinds of epoxides possessing substituents such as alkyl, aryloxy and phenylepoxy, and the nature of the

• converted to the epoxide 123, which upon thiolysis with a strategically protected cysteine, gave the regioisomeric hydroxy sulfides 124 and 125 (Scheme 43). Each of these was then converted to natural pteriatoxin A (7) and its analog 126. Epoxide opening to yield β-hydroxy sulfides of unnatural (artificial

A stereoselective and flexible synthesis to access both enantiomers of N-acetylgalactosamine and peracetylated N-acetylidosamine

• Bettina Riedl and
• Walther Schmid

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2018, 14, 856–860, doi:10.3762/bjoc.14.71

• -catalyzed, stereo- and regioselective epoxide opening and subsequent nucleophilic substitution of an azide functionality. This approach enables the synthesis of the naturally D- and unnaturally L-configured GalNAc, as well as both enantiomers of the largely unknown N-acetylidosamine (IdoNAc). Keywords

• stereocenter on C4, resulting in the desired cis-selective epoxide opening and therefore, galacto-configured azido alcohols 7a and 7b (≥95% de) [22]. Initial limitations in reaction size and yield could have been overcome by switching the solvent from THF, as described in the Miyashita protocol, to EtOH. This

• approach opens up new perspectives for additional modifications: meso-tartaric acid as possible starting material or different epoxide opening protocols, as well as, the selective isotopic labelling are only a few to mention. This convertible synthetic route brings us a step closer to access the whole

The synthesis of the 2,3-difluorobutan-1,4-diol diastereomers

• Robert Szpera,
• Nadia Kovalenko,
• Kalaiselvi Natarajan,
• Nina Paillard and
• Bruno Linclau

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 2883–2887, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.280

• substituents is of interest. Here we describe optimisation efforts in the synthesis of anti-2,3-difluorobutane-1,4-diol, as well as the synthesis of the corresponding syn-diastereomer. Both targets were synthesised using an epoxide opening strategy. Keywords: acetal isomerization; deoxyfluorination; epoxide

•  1 was high-yielding [17], two disadvantages were apparent. First, the epoxide opening takes 2.5 days at 115 °C and uses an expensive fluoride source (Landini’s reagent [18]: Bu4NH2F3). It was found that Bu4NH2F3 made in-house gave significantly reduced yields. Second, the use of the benzyl ether

• protecting group resulted in a significant increase in mass, and therefore, chromatographic purification of the protected intermediates upon scale-up was inconvenient. As previously reported [17], epoxide opening of cis-2 with Olah’s reagent (HF·py) led to an 80% yield of the fluorohydrin after just three

Homologated amino acids with three vicinal fluorines positioned along the backbone: development of a stereoselective synthesis

• Raju Cheerlavancha,
• Ahmed Ahmed,
• Yun Cheuk Leung,
• Aggie Lawer,
• Qing-Quan Liu,
• Marina Cagnes,
• Hee-Chan Jang,
• Xiang-Guo Hu and
• Luke Hunter

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 2316–2325, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.228

• Et3N·3HF according to O’Hagan’s method [34] (Scheme 3). This did effect epoxide-opening to some extent, but the reaction was rather unsatisfactory because it was low-yielding and non-regioselective, which made full characterisation of the product mixture (32/33) impossible. Nevertheless, an analytical

Synthesis of substituted Z-styrenes by Hiyama-type coupling of oxasilacycloalkenes: application to the synthesis of a 1-benzoxocane

• James R. Vyvyan,
• Courtney A. Engles,
• Scott L. Bray,
• Erik D. Wold,
• Christopher L. Porter and
• Mikhail O. Konev

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 2122–2127, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.209

• have recently been reviewed [34]. We have previously reported syntheses of heliannuols C, D, and E via intramolecular epoxide opening reactions [35][36], but this approach did not translate well to the synthesis of heliannuol A. One of our alternative strategies for the synthesis of heliannuol A was an

The chemistry and biology of mycolactones

• Matthias Gehringer and
• Karl-Heinz Altmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 1596–1660, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.159

• the C1–C20 seco acid via formation of the C9–C10 bond by an epoxide-opening reaction with an alkyne-derived alkenyl trialkylaluminate. A distinct strategy was also chosen by the Aggarwal group, which connected the linear C1–C11 fragment to the C12–C20 fragment employing their lithiation–borylation

• obtained according to literature procedures [133], thus setting the stereochemistry at C12. The five-step sequence from 20 to vinyl iodide 21 included a (poorly diastereoselective) epoxidation, epoxide opening with a propynyl anion and a hydrozirconation/iodination reaction to generate the vinyl iodide

Biosynthesis of oxygen and nitrogen-containing heterocycles in polyketides

• Franziska Hemmerling and
• Frank Hahn

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 1512–1550, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.148

• reaction. The ambruticins contain a second hydropyran ring that is established by epoxide opening (see chapter 1.1.3). A further enzyme with similar dehydratase–cyclase activity was recently discovered by Leadlay et al. in the biosynthesis of the polyether ionophore salinomycin (31, Scheme 5) [18]. SalBIII

• building block [34][35][36]. 1.1.3 Epoxide opening: The nucleophilic opening of epoxides is probably the most abundant type of reaction leading to furans and pyrans. It, for example, plays an important role in the biosynthesis of ionophoric terrestrial and marine polyethers (see chapter 1.3). In this

• on the C6 and C7 hydroxy groups during this biosynthetic endgame remains enigmatic [46]. Ambruticin. Another example in which a single epoxide opening event leads to the installation of an individual ring is the formation of the western tetrahydropyran ring in the biosynthesis of the ambruticins

A carbohydrate approach for the formal total synthesis of (−)-aspergillide C

• Pabbaraja Srihari,
• Namballa Hari Krishna,
• Ydhyam Sridhar and
• Ahmed Kamal

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 3122–3126, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.329

• reaction followed by the reduction of the triple bond to the trans double bond. Alkyne 7 can be synthesized from alkyne 8 involving an isomerization reaction. Alkyne 8 was easily accessible from (R)-propylene oxide (9) through an epoxide opening reaction with 1-butyne. Results and Discussion In recent work

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of new diaminocyclopentanols

• Evgeni A. Larin,
• Valeri S. Kochubei and
• Yuri M. Atroshchenko

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 2513–2520, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.262

• of stereoselective epoxide opening of these cyclic amine derivatives are limited to the preparation of the corresponding diols under acidic conditions [23]. Other reported strategies involve the formation of diaminocyclohexanols from epoxides under basic conditions [24] or by activating the epoxides

• corresponding to C(1)H, C(2)H and C(5)H (Supporting Information File 2). Therefore, spectral data obtained for the compounds 8a–d are consistent with the acid-catalyzed trans-diaxial epoxide opening, proceeding via a late-transition state, and the N-benzyl-N-methylammonium moiety promotes the nucleophilic

• significant influence on the regioisomeric ratio (rr). The reactions of 3b with 2-methyl-1H-imidazole (7b) and 9H-purin-6-amine (7d) in the presence of Cs2CO3 in DMSO showed the same regioselectivity (Table 2, entries 4 and 7), indicating that the epoxide opening reactions are not directed by the amine

Indium-mediated allylation in carbohydrate synthesis: A short and efficient approach towards higher 2-acetamido-2-deoxy sugars

• Christopher Albler,
• Ralph Hollaus,
• Hanspeter Kählig and
• Walther Schmid

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 2230–2234, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.231

• (CHCO2Me)) generated allylic epoxides 4a–c, which in turn permitted the application of reliable palladium chemistry for the epoxide opening [27][28][29]. Thus, compounds 4a–c were regio- and stereoselectively opened with trimethylsilyl azide and Pd(PPh3)4 as a catalyst [30], furnishing syn-azido alcohols

Recent applications of the divinylcyclopropane–cycloheptadiene rearrangement in organic synthesis

• Sebastian Krüger and
• Tanja Gaich

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 163–193, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.14

• followed by reductive epoxide opening furnished the desired alcohol 73 [72]. Alcohol-directed 1,4-reduction using LiAlH4 [73] followed by ether formation gave methyl ether 74. Reduction of the remaining ketone moiety gave the equatorial alcohol exclusively. Ortho-lithiation followed by the addition of

• this compound was subjected to oxidative conditions both alcohols were oxidized to the corresponding aldehyde/ketone. Base-induced epoxide opening led to the formation of a double bond (C4/C5) and concomitant lactol-formation. The lactol was oxidized to the corresponding lactone under the same reaction

Stereoselectively fluorinated N-heterocycles: a brief survey

• Xiang-Guo Hu and
• Luke Hunter

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2696–2708, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.306

• ]-Wittig rearrangement, a diastereoselective epoxidation, and a microwave assisted transannular epoxide opening reaction. It is also noteworthy that the starting material 55 contains an extraneous fluorine atom which is deleted during the synthetic sequence; this approach takes advantage of the often low

Synthesis of the spiroketal core of integramycin

• Evgeny. V. Prusov

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2446–2450, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.282

• PMB-protected 3-hydroxypropanal via Horner–Wadsworth-Emmons olefination, reduction to the allylic alcohol and Sharples epoxidation [8] (Scheme 2). Subsequent Cu-catalyzed epoxide-opening using methylmagnesium bromide [9] produced an inseparable mixture of 1,2- and 1,3-diol products, which upon

Synthesis of enantiomerically pure N-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)arylamides via oxidative esterification

• Akula Raghunadh,
• Satish S More,
• T. Krishna Chaitanya,
• Yadla Sateesh Kumar,
• Suresh Babu Meruva,
• L. Vaikunta Rao and
• U. K. Syam Kumar

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2129–2136, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.250

• )arylamides. Synthesis of phthalimido-protected chiral hydroxypropyl benzoate. Proposed mechanism of epoxide opening. Reagents and conditions: (a) Methylamine, DCM, 30–35 °C, 94%. Catalyst screening.a Oxidative esterification of epoxies with NHC.a Supporting Information Supporting Information File 588

The chemistry of isoindole natural products

• Klaus Speck and
• Thomas Magauer

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2048–2078, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.243

• induced domino epoxide-opening/rearrangement/cyclization cascade was accomplished by the group of Katoh (Scheme 22) [144]. The synthesis commenced with the conversion of dimethyl 2,6-dihydroxyterephthalate (172) to nitrile 173 within five consecutive steps. Hydrogenation and lactam formation of 173 gave

• diastereoisomers. The Lewis acid induced key step, a domino epoxide-opening/rearrangement/cyclization cascade, most likely proceeded in a stepwise manner via intermediate 179. Activation of the epoxide with boron trifluoride etherate induces the planned sigmatropic [1,2]-methyl and [1,2]-hydride shifts to generate