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Biomedical subjects

Richard C D Brown

Publications and source records attributed to Richard C D Brown.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

Accurate measurements of 13C-13C J-couplings in the rhodopsin chromophore by double-quantum solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

A new double-quantum solid-state NMR pulse sequence is presented and used to measure one-bond 13C-13C J-couplings in a set of 13C2-labeled rhodopsin isotopomers. The measured J-couplings reveal a perturbation of the electronic structure at the terminus of the conjugated chain but show no evidence for protein-induced electronic perturbation near the C11-C12 isomerization site. This work establishes NMR methodology for measuring accurate 1JCC values in noncrystalline macromolecules and shows that the measured J-couplings may reveal local electronic perturbations of mechanistic significance.

Carbon Isotopes↗

Natural cis-solamin is a mixture of two tetra-epimeric diastereoisomers: biosynthetic implications for Annonaceous acetogenins.

The anti-tumour natural product cis-solamin has been shown to occur as a mixture two of tetra-epimeric diastereoisomers 1A and 1B, whereas solamin (6) was isolated as a single diastereoisomer; the biosyntheses of 1A/B and 6 are likely to involve enzyme-mediated cyclohydrations of the bis-epoxide acetogenins anti-diepomuricanin A2 and syn-diepomuricanin A1 respectively, where addition of water occurs regioselectively at either C15 or C20.

Acetogenins↗

Synthesis and derivatisation of a novel spiro[1-benzofuran-2,4'-piperidin]-3-one scaffold.

The synthesis of a novel spiro[1-benzofuran-2,4'-piperidin]-3-one scaffold has been achieved in five steps with an overall yield of 47%. The versatility of the spiropiperidine scaffold in the context of library synthesis is exemplified by selective and sequential derivatisation of the amino and aryl bromide functional groups, including the development of multi-step telescope reaction matrices.

Benzofurans↗

Total synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of cis-solamin isomers.

An efficient total synthesis of cis-solamin (1) has been achieved in 21% overall yield and with a longest linear sequence of just 11 steps from aldehyde 8. A key feature of the approach was the use of asymmetric permanganate-promoted oxidative cyclization to introduce four of the five required stereocenters in a single step. The use of robust and chemoselective methodology meant that the use of protecting groups could be avoided during the assembly of cis-solamin (1) from the three fragments 23, 6, and 4. The methodology was also applied to the synthesis of three further cis-solamin isomers 2, ent-1, and ent-2. Cytotoxicity and hemolytic properties of cis-solamin isomers and synthetic intermediates are reported.

Animals↗

Ring-closing metathesis: development of a cyclisation-cleavage strategy for the solid-phase synthesis of cyclic sulfonamides.

A series of novel 7-membered cyclic sulfonamides have been synthesised using a solid-phase cyclisation-cleavage RCM strategy. Model solution studies indicated the sulfonamides were suitable substrates for RCM using the Grubbs' catalyst 2. Starting from either 2-carboxyethyl polystyrene (21) or Merrifield resin, various seven-membered sulfonamides were prepared in good to excellent yields at low catalyst loadings (2.5-5 mol%) using a flexible spacer between the polymer and the substrate. In addition, a novel double-armed linker was shown to allow efficient RCM cleavage of sulfonamides with as little as 1 mol% of the ruthenium alkylidene complex 2.

Journal Article↗

A versatile stereoselective synthesis of endo,exo-furofuranones: application to the enantioselective synthesis of furofuran lignans.

A new stereoselective route to endo,exo-2,6-diarylfurofuranones has been developed using Mn(III)-mediated intramolecular cyclopropanation and C-H insertion reactions as key C-C bond-forming steps. Mn(III)-mediated oxidative cyclization of acetoacetate derivative 11 afforded 1-acetyl-4-aryl-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexan-2-one (12) with excellent diastereocontrol (d.r. 22:1). Subsequent Lewis acid-catalyzed opening of the activated cyclopropane ring present in 12 with benzylic alcohols then gave alpha-acetyl-gamma-butyrolactones 16 and 18-20, which reacted efficiently with in situ-generated TfN(3) to secure the key alpha-diazo-gamma-butyrolactones 22-25. Highly stereoselective rhodium-catalyzed C-H insertion reactions of diazolactones 22-25 completed the synthesis of endo,exo-2,6-diarylfurofuranones 26-29 in overall yields ranging from 41 to 48% from 1-phenylallyl alcohol (+/-)-10. The approach developed for the furofuranones 26-29 was then applied to the asymmetric syntheses of four furofuran lignans, (+)-xanthoxylol (1), (+)-methylxanthoxylol (2), (+)-epipinoresinol (3), and (+)-epieudesmin (4), starting from enantiomerically enriched 1-arylallyl alcohol (S)-31.

Biological Factors↗

Synthesis of heterocyclic and carbocyclic fluoro-olefins by ring-closing metathesis.

[reaction: see text] Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) of vinyl fluoride-containing dienes in the presence of ruthenium alkylidene carbene complex 11 proceeded efficiently to give six- and seven-membered cyclic vinyl fluorides. The RCM reaction was used to prepare amine- and sulfamide-linked cyclo-olefins, as well as carbocyclic systems, from a simple commercial fluoro-olefin.

Journal Article↗

Solid-phase synthesis of 4-methylene pyrrolidines and allylic amines using palladium-activated allylic linkers.

The solid-phase synthesis of 4-methylene pyrrolidines and allylic amines has been achieved using palladium-catalysed nucleophilic cleavage of allylic linkages. Six pyrrolidines were synthesised in five steps from a carboxyethyl resin 20, where the key transformations included a Lewis-acid promoted imino-Sakurai type reaction and reductive alkylation prior to the final palladium-catalysed cyclisation cleavage of the allylic carboxylate linkage. Allylic carboxylate resin 22 was also shown to undergo "traceless" cleavage using various hydride sources in the presence of catalytic palladium. A more robust allylic ether linkage was also investigated. Starting from a phenol resin 36, a number of 3-aryl-allylamines were prepared using a palladium-catalysed nucleophilic cleavage reaction.

Journal Article↗

Permanganate oxidation of 1,5,9-trienes: stereoselective synthesis of tetrahydrofuran-containing fragments.

Permanganate oxidation of farnesoate esters 12a-d afforded perhydro-2,2'-bifuranyl compounds 16a-d, with control of relative stereochemistry at four new stereocenters. Subsequent oxidative cleavage of 16a-d then provided tetrahydrofuran-containing fragments 17a-d, one of them 17b possessing the same relative stereochemistry present in the C13-C21 portion of the polyether antibiotic semduramycin (1). Control of the absolute stereochemistry was achieved through the use of the Oppolzer sultam chiral auxiliary. The requisite starting trienes were prepared stereoselectively in just three steps from geranyl chloride or neryl chloride, providing a short and versatile route to polyether fragments.

Fatty Acids, Unsaturated↗

Synthesis of cis-solamin using a permanganate-mediated oxidative cyclization.

[reaction: see text] cis-Solamin (1) and its diastereoisomer 14 have been synthesized in 13 steps using the diastereoselective permanganate-promoted oxidative cyclization of 1,5-dienes to create the tetrahydrofuran diol core. Notably, no protecting groups are required during the stages of fragment assembly.

Benzethonium↗

An efficient synthesis of endo,exo-furofuranone derivatives.

The ring openings of 1-acetyl-4-phenyl-3-oxabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane afforded alpha-acetyl-gamma-butyrolactone that underwent a novel diazo-transfer reaction, followed by C-H insertion, to provide a series of endo,exo-furofuranone analogues.

4-Butyrolactone↗