Synthesis of enantiomerically pure, highly functionalized, medium-sized carbocycles from carbohydrates:: Formal total synthesis of (+)-calystegine B2

The free radical cyclization (FR) and the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction have been analyzed in order to develop new and original synthetic protocols for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure, highly functionalized, medium-sized carbocycles from carbohydrates. As a result, we report here for the first time examples of the 7-exo FR cyclization of acyclic radical precursors derived from sugars. This process appears to be extremely sensitive to the conformational mobility of the radical species in the transition state. The use of two isopropylidene groups blocking four of the total present hydroxyl groups and a good radical acceptor (as an alpha,beta-unsaturated ester) are mandatory conditions for a successful ring closure protocol. The RCM reaction by using Grubbs' catalyst on selected carbohydrate-derived precursors has afforded variable yields of the expected unsaturated cycloheptane or cycloctane derivatives. The synthesis of the cycloheptitols has been carried out in good yields, regardless of the absolute configuration at the different stereocenters and the nature of the O-functional groups bound in allylic positions to one of the double bonds implicated in the metathesis reaction. Conversely, in the cyclooctane synthesis, we have observed that the success of the reaction depends not only on the absolute configuration at the different stereocenters close to the double bonds but also on the nature of the O-protecting groups on these stereocenters. Finally, the RCM strategy has been used in an attempt to prepare natural (+)-calystegine B-2 from D-glucose. The synthesis of compound 92 from D-glucose constitutes a formal total synthesis of (+)-calystegine B-2, showing the importance of the steric hindrance in allylic positions for a successful RCM reaction.