Synthetic studies towards the total synthesis of hexacyclinic acid

In the first chapter of this thesis, published works found in the literature about hexacyclinic acid and FR182877 are reported and commented. A quick summary of the previous work done in the Prunet group is also described. In the second and third chapter, a more detailed account of the work undertaken during this PhD was given. Firstly, syntheses of two ABC tricycles incorporating tert-butyl and (trimethylsilyl)ethyl esters were undertaken. These syntheses include two key steps previously developed in the group, a diastereoselective Michael addition and a Snider cyclisation. Multiple conditions for the hydrolysis of the esters were attempted but none of them gave the desired product. The main part of this work is focused on the synthesis of a CDEF model and in particular about the development of the key step, the formation of a nine-membered ring. Several DEF fragments were synthesised in short synthetic sequences and as single isomers. Six different synthetic pathways were developed in total and a novel method, a Michael/elimination reaction, was found to be a very efficient way to close the desired medium-size ring. From the nine-membered ring, regioselective reduction and palladiumcatalysed allylic substitution led to the formation of the CDF tricycle. Final steps of the synthesis were fruitless and led only to decomposition. A synthesis of a chiral C-ring was also developed during this PhD. II Finally, another project was undertaken, not related to hexacyclinic acid. Methodology developed in the group for the diastereoselective formation of trisubstituted alkenes employing a temporary silicon-tethered ring-closing metathesis was extended to homoallylic alcohols. The first steps of the method were similar to the previous methodology but the end-game had to be modified in favour of an oxidation/reduction sequence to successfully obtain the desired products with the correct geometry. In the fourth chapter, procedures and analytical data for the synthesised compounds previously described are reported.

Towards the total synthesis of amphidinolides C and F

The amphidinolides are marine macrolides extracted from dinoflagellates of the genus Amphidinium. To date, 37 amphidinolides have been isolated and identified, most of them possessing cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines. Among these, amphidinolides C, F, C2 and C3 represent synthetic targets of interest owing to their scarcity, structural complexity and promising biological activities. This thesis describes the work realised towards the total synthesis of amphidinolides C and F, with a focus on the different strategies investigated and the key fragments synthesised. In the first approach, the C18−C29 fragment of amphidinolide F was prepared using an intramolecular etherification of an epoxide under acidic catalysis to produce the 2,5-trans-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran ring featured in the natural product. Unfortunately, dithiane alkylation with the C1−C17 iodide counterpart generated the desired coupling product in low yield. A second approach proposing to build the C17−C18 bond by a silicon-tethered RCM proved unsuccessful, because the requisite diene could not be obtained. It was then envisioned to form the C18−C19 bond by displacement of a triflate with an alkyne and install the ketone at C18 by a protoborylation/oxidation sequence. To this end, the C19−C29 triflate precursor was synthesised. Displeasingly, the C1−C18 alkyne counterpart (work by Dr Filippo Romiti) could not be prepared and coupling of the two fragments was not attempted. In the latest approach, the C10−C29 fragment of amphidinolide F was obtained employing a boron-mediated aldol condensation and a dithiane alkylation to form the C13−C14 and C18−C19 bonds. Several endgame strategies were examined including the successful Yamaguchi esterification of the C13-epi C10−C29 fragment and the C1−C9 acid. A challenging Stille crosscoupling was then effected to close the macrocycle but only yielded the desired macrolactone in trace amounts after global desilylation.