Enantioselective formal synthesis of (-)-podophyllotoxin from (2S,3R)-3-arylaziridine-2-carboxylate.

Meyers' 4-aryl-1-tetralone-lactone and ent-Zhang's 2-diarylmethyl-4-oxobutanoate were synthesized in the formal synthesis of (-)-podophyllotoxin from (2S,3R)-3-arylaziridine-2-carboxylate, via 3,3-diarylpropanoate as a common intermediate, in an overall 42% yield through 10 steps and 31% yield through 6 steps, respectively. The key steps in the synthesis were regio- and diastereoselective ring opening with an aromatic nucleophile, samarium iodide promoted reductive C-N bond cleavage, and Stille coupling for introducing the vinyl functionality. The starting aziridine was enantioselectively prepared from 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde by guanidinium ylide mediated asymmetric aziridination. All nitrogen components used in the reaction sequence are reusable as the starting guanidinium source.