Approach toward the total synthesis of orevactaene. 2. Convergent and stereoselective synthesis of the C18-C31 domain of orevactaene. Evidence for the relative configuration of the side chain.

The synthesis of the C18-C31 subunit of orevactaene (1) in an enantioselective and convergent manner is reported. Four chiral centers in the structure (i.e., carbons 23, 25, 32, and 33) have unknown configuration; thus, a modular approach has been devised to link the two stereocenter-containing ends of the structure together via a trisubstituted olefin template to ultimately produce all possible diastereomers of the target. Keys to the success of this approach include (i) an efficient synthesis of four diastereomeric hydrophobic tails (C22-C29) of the molecule with two stereogenic centers at C23 and C25; (ii) the synthesis of three stereodefined trisubstituted olefins 37, 38, and 43 using palladium(0)-catalyzed hydrometalation and metallometalation; and (iii) the convergent assembly of the aforementioned sections by a 'one-pot' lithium/halogen exchange, boron/lithium exchange, borate ester saponification, and Suzuki cross-coupling followed by oxidative deprotection. The sequence provided the desired aldehydes 49 and 50 as single isomers in good yields. Compiled spectroscopic data from the literature and present work provides evidence that the relative configuration of the methyl groups in the side chain of orevactaene may be 1,3-syn, which will be confirmed when the total synthesis has been completed. These results have paved the way for a parallel synthesis approach to prepare all 16 possible stereoisomers of orevactaene so that the relative and absolute stereochemistry of this compound can be determined.