Synthesis of acetylenic sugars and uronic acids via two-carbon chain extension of d-ribose

Treatment of methyl β-d-ribofuranoside with acetone gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside (1, 90%), whereas methyl α-d-ribofuranoside gave a mixture (30%) of 1 and methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-ribofuranoside (1a). On oxidation, 1 gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (2), whereas no similar product was obtained on oxidation of 1a. Ethynylmagnesium bromide reacted with 2 in dry tetrahydrofuran to give a 1:1 mixture (95%) of methyl 6,7-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-allo- (3) and -α-l-talo-hept-6-ynofuranoside (4). Ozonolysis of 3 and 4 in dichloromethane gave the corresponding d-allo- and l-talo-uronic acids, characterized as their methyl esters (5 and 6) and 5-O-formyl methyl esters (5a and 6a). Ozonolysis in methanol gave a mixture of the free uronic acid and the methyl ester, and only a small proportion of the 5-O-formyl methyl ester. Malonic acid reacted with 2 to give methyl 5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-trans-hept-5-enofuranosiduronic acid (7).     

Synthesis of 8-(hydroxyalkyl)adenines

Treatment of methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α-D-ribo-hexopyranosid-3-ulose (1) with triethylamine-methanol at reflux temperature yields methyl 2,3-anhydro-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-methoxy-α-D-allopyranoside (2), a derivative (3) of 3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-4H-pyran-4-one, and methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-ribo-hexopyranosid-3-ulose dimethyl acetal (4). The reaction of methyl 4,6-O benzylidene-3-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-α-D-arabino-hexopyranosid-2-ulose (12) with triethylamine-methanol afforded methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-ribo-hexopyranosid-2-ulose dimethyl acetal (19) and methyl 2,3-anhydro-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-methoxy-α-D-allopyranoside (20); from the reaction of the β-D anomer (13) of 12, methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-β-D-ribo-hexopyranosid-2-ulose dimethyl acetal (21) was isolated. Syntheses of the α-keto toluene-p-sulfonates 12 and 13 are described. Mechanisms for the formation of the compounds isolated from the reactions with triethylamine-methanol are proposed.     

Unsaturated sugars. I. Decarboxylative elimination of methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid to methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-deoxy-beta-L-threo-pent-4-enopyranoside

Decarboxylative elimination of methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-α-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid (1) with N,N-dimethylformamide dineopentyl acetal in N,N-dimethylformamide gave methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-deoxy-β-L-threo-pent-4-enopyranoside (3). Debenzylation of 3 was effected with sodium in liquid ammonia to give methyl 4-deoxy-β-L-threo-pent-4-enopyranoside (4). Hydrogenation of 3 catalyzed by palladium-on-barium sulfate afforded methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-deoxy-β-L-threo-pentopyranoside (5), whereas hydrogenation of 3 over palladium-on-carbon gave methyl 4-deoxy-β-L-threo-pentopyranoside (6). An improved preparation of methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-D-glucopyranoside is also described.     

Nucleophilic displacements of methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-4-O-toluene-p-sulphonyl-α-d-lyxo- and -β-l-ribo-pyranosides,and deamination of the corresponding 4-amino sugars

Reinvestigation of the reaction of methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-4-O-toluene-p-sulphonyl-α-d-lyxopyranoside (4) with azide ion has shown that methyl 4-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-l-erythro-pent-4-enopyranoside (8, ～51.5%) is formed, as well as the azido sugar 7 (～48.5%) of an S_N2 displacement. The unsaturated sugar 8 was more conveniently prepared by heating the sulphonate 4 with 1,5-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]undec-5-ene. An azide displacement on methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-4-O-toluene-p-sulphonyl-β-l-ribopyranoside (12) furnished methyl 4-azido-4-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-lyxopyranoside (13, ～66%) and the unsaturated sugar 14 (～28.5%), which was also prepared by heating the sulphonate with 1,5-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-5-ene. Deamination of methyl 4-amino-4-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-lyxopyranoside (5), prepared by reduction of 13, with sodium nitrite in 90% acetic acid at ～0°, yielded methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-lyxopyranoside (10a, 26.2%), methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-l-ribofuranoside (21a, 18.4%), and the corresponding acetates 10b (34.5%) and 21b (21.3%). These products are considered to arise by solvolysis of the bicyclic oxonium ion 29, formed as a consequence of participation by the ring-oxygen atom in the deamination reaction. Similar deamination of methyl 4-amino-4-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-l-ribopyranoside (6) afforded, exclusively, the products 10a (34.4%) and 10b (65.6%) of inverted configuration. Deamination of methyl 5-amino-5-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside (20) gave 22ab, but no other products. An alternative synthesis of the amino sugars 5 and 6 is available by conversion of 10a into methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-l-erythro-pentopyranosid-4-ulose (11), followed by reduction of the derived oxime 15 with lithium aluminium hydride.     

Synthesis of methyl (or propyl) 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) and derivatives for the study of the phosphoric ester linkage in the Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell-wall

Methyl 2-acetamido-3-O-allyl-2-deoxy-4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, and methyl 2-acetamido-3,4-di-O-allyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside, prepared from methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside, were coupled with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate (13), to give the phosphoric esters methyl 2-acetamido-3-O-allyl-2-deoxy-4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (16), methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (23), and methyl 2-acetamido-3,4-di-O-allyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (17). Compound 13 was prepared from penta-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranose by the phosphoric acid procedure, or by acetylation of α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate. Removal of the allyl groups from 16 and 17 gave 23 and methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (19), respectively. O-Deacetylation of 23 gave methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (26) and O-deacetylation of 19 gave methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (24). Propyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside 6-(α-D-glucopyranosyl phosphate) (25) was prepared by coupling 13 with allyl 2-acetamido-3,4-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside, followed by catalytic hydrogenation of the product to give the propyl glycoside, which was then O-deacetylated. Compounds 24, 25, and 26 are being employed in structural studies of the Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell-wall.     

Synthesis of new branched-chain aminodeoxyhexoses related to daunosamine (3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-l-lyxo-hexose)

Addition of methylmagnesium iodide to methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-3-trifluoro-acetamido-α-l-threo-hexopyranosid-4-ulose (3) gave methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-4-C-methyl-3-trifluoroacetamido-α-l-lyxo-hexopyranoside (4) and its l-arabino analogue, depending upon the reaction temperature and the solvent. The corresponding 4-O-methyl derivatives were obtained by treatment of 4 and 5 with diazomethane in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate. Treatment of 4 with thionyl chloride, followed by an alkaline work-up, gave methyl, 2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-4-C-methylene-3-trifluoro-acetamido-α-l-threo-hexopyranoside (8), which was stereoselectively reduced to methyl 2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-4-C-methyl-3-trifluoroacetamido-α-l-arabino-hexopyranoside. Epoxidation of 8 with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid gave the corresponding 4,4₁-anhydro-4-C-hydroxymethyl-l-lyxo derivative (10), which was also prepared by treatment of 3 with diazomethane. Azidolysis of 10, followed by catalytic hydrogenation and N-trifluoroacetylation, gave methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-3-trifuloroacetamido-4-C-trifluoroacetamidomethyl-α-l-lyxo-hexopyranoside.     

A 13c-n.m.r. study of a di- and a tri-saccharide containing the α-d-galactopyranosyl group

The ¹³C-n.m.r. spectra of methyl 4-O-α-d-galactopyranosyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (1) and methyl 4-O-[4-O-(α-d-galactopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranosyl]-β-d-glucopyranoside (2) in D₂O were recorded. Comparison of these spectra with the spectra of methyl α-d-galactopyranoside (4) and methyl β-lactoside (5) provided substantial confirmation of the structures of 1 and 2.     

Unambiguous syntheses of the 3,4-di- and 3,4,6-tri-methyl ethers of methyl α-d-mannopyranoside

The unambiguous syntheses of methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-methyl-α-d-mannopyranoside (6) and methyl 3,4-di-O-methyl-α-d-mannopyranoside (10) were performed by routes involving methyl 3-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-mannopyranoside (1) to form methyl 2-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-d-mannopyranoside (4). Compound 4 directly led to 6, and, via a 6-trityl derivative, to 10.     

Synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5-thio-d-glucopyranose

2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-5-thio-d-glucopyranose (12) has been synthesized from methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-β-d-glucofuranoside (1). Benzoylation of 1, followed by O-deisopropylidenation, gave methyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucofuranoside, which was converted, via selective benzoylation and mesylation, into methyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-5-O-mesyl-β-d-glucofuranoside (5). Treatment of 6, formed by the action of sodium methoxide in chloroform on 5, with thiourea gave methyl 2-acetamido-2,5,6-trideoxy-5,6-epithio-β-d-glucofuranoside (7), which was converted into the 5-thio compound 9 by cleavage of the epithio ring in 7 with potassium acetate. Alkaline treatment of 10, derived from 9 by hydrolysis, afforded the title compound. Evidence in support of the structures assigned to the new derivatives is presented.     

Reaction of acylated methyl arabinosides with hydrogen bromide

Treatment of methyl tri-O-acetyl-β-D-arabinopyranoside (1a) with hydrogen bromide in benzene or in acetic acid gave, in addition to the pyranosyl bromide (2a), a considerable proportion of tri-O-acetyl-D-arabinofuranosyl bromide (5). Similar treatment of methyl tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-arabinopyranoside (1b) gave a good yield of the pyranosyl bromide (2b); no furanoid derivative was formed. Ring contraction also took place when methyl 4-O-acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzoyl-β-D-arabinopyranoside (7) was treated with hydrogen bromide, whereas the isomeric 3-O-acetyl-2,4-di-O-benzoyl compound (12) gave the pyranosyl bromide 13 in high yield. Thus, methyl pyranosides with an O-acetyl group at C-4 undergo ring contraction on treatment with hydrogen bromide. The corresponding compounds with O-benzoyl groups at C-4 gave pyranosyl bromides only.     

5-thio-l-rhamnose

Two routes for the synthesis of methyl 5-S-acetyl-6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-thio-l-mannofuranoside (8) have been examined. Reaction of l-rhamnose with methanol in the presence of the cation-exchange resin gives methyl 6-deoxy-α-l-mannofuranoside (2), which on conventional acetonation yields methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O- isopropylidene-α-l-mannofuranosides (3). Compounds 3 is also obtained by acetonation of l-rhamnose followed by treatment with a mixture of methanol, acetonation, Amberlite IR-120(H⁺) resin. Chlorination of 3 with triphenylphosphine-carbon tetrachloride gives methyl 5-chloro-5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-gulofuranoside (7), which reacts with potassium thioacetate to give 8. Alternatively, 3 is iodized with ruthenium tetraoxide to methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-l-lyxo-hexofuranosid-5-ulose (9), which reduced by sodium borohydride mainly to methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-gulofuranoside (10). The O-tosyl derivative of 10 reacts with potassium thioacetate to produced 8. Hydrolysis of 8 with 90% aqueous triflouroacetic acid, followed by acetolysis with a solution of acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and sulfuric acids gives an anomeric mixture of 1,2,3,4,-tetra-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-5-thio-l-mannopyranoses (12), together with a small proportion of 1,2,3,-tri-O-acetyl-5-S-acetyl-6-deoxy-5-thio-β-l-mannofuranose (13). Deacetylation of 12 or 13 gives 5-thio-l-rhamnose (6), from which crystalline 1,2,3,4-tetra-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-5-thio-β-l-rhamnopyranose (14) is obtained.     

Synthesis of crystalline derivatives of 6-deoxy-d-allo- and -l-talo-furanosyl bromide suitable for nucleoside synthesis

6-Deoxy-2,3,5-tri-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-β-d-allo- and -α-l-talo-furanosyl bromide (6 and 11) have been synthesized from methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (1). Treatment of 1 with methyl Grignard reagent, followed by (p-nitrobenzoyl)ation, afforded two 5-epimers, methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-β-d-allo- and -α-l-talo-furanosides (3 and 8) which were fractionally recrystallized. The l-talo isomer (8) separated first, and was treated with acid to remove the isopropylidene group, the product (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the ester reacted with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid, to afford crystalline compound 11. The mother liquor from the fractional recrystallization was treated with acid, whereby methyl 6-deoxy-5-O-p-nitrobenzoyl)-d-allofuranoside was isolated. It was (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the ester treated with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid, to afford crystalline bromide 6.     

Studies related to the synthesis of derivatives of 2,6-diamino-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-D-erythro-hexose (purpurosamine C), a component of gentamicin C12

Reduction of 1,6-anhydro-3,4-dideoxy-β-D-glycero-hex-3-enopyranos-2-ulose (levoglucosenone) with lithium aluminium hydride afforded principally 1,6-anhydro-3,4-dideoxy-β-D-threo-hex-3-enopyranose (3), which was converted into 3,4-dihydro-2(S)-hydroxymethyl-2H-pyran (8) following acid-catalysed methanolysis and reductive rearrangement of the resulting α-glycoside 4 with lithium aluminium hydride. 1,6-Anhydro-3,4-dideoxy-2-O-toluene-p-sulphonyl-β-D-threo-hexopyranose, prepared from 3, reacted slowly with sodium azide in hot dimethyl sulphoxide to give 1,6-anhydro-2-azido-2,3,4-trideoxy-β-D-erythro-hexopyranose, which was transformed into a mixture of methyl 2-acetamido-6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-trideoxy-α-D-erythro-hexopyranoside (10) and the corresponding β anomer following acid-catalysed methanolysis, catalytic reduction, and acetylation. Acid treatment of methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-3-deoxy-α-D-erythro-hexopyranosid-2-ulose yielded the enone 15, which was readily transformed into methyl 6-O-acetyl-3,4-dideoxy-α-D-glycero-hexopyranosid-2-ulose (19). Procedures for the conversions of DL-8, 10, and 19 into methyl 2,6-diacetamido-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-α-D-erythro-hexopyranoside (methyl N,N′-di-acetyl-α-purpurosaminide C) have already been described.     

Synthesis of 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-ll-lyxo-hexose (daunosamine) hydrochloride from d-glucose

Three different approaches starting from 1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranose were tested for the synthesis of daunosamine hydrochloride (24), the sugar constituent of the antitumor antibiotics daunomycin and adriamycin. The third route, affording 24 in ~5% overall yield in 11 steps, constitutes a useful, preparative synthesis, 3,5,6-Tri-O-benzoyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranose was converted via methyl 2,3-anhydro-β-d-mannofuranoside into methyl 2,3:5,6-dianhydro-α-l-gulofuranoside, the terminal oxirane ring of which was split selectively on reduction with borohydride, to afford methyl 2,3-anhydro-6-deoxy-α-l-gulofuranoside (31). Compound 31 was converted into methyl 2,3-anhydro-5-O-benzyl-6-deoxy-α-l-gulofuranoside, which was selectively reduced at C-2 on treatment with lithium aluminum hydride, affording methyl 5-O-benzyl-2,6-dideoxy-α-l-xylo-hexofuranoside. Subsequent mesylation, and replacement of the mesoloxy group by azide, with inversion, afforded methyl 3-azido-5-O-benzyl-2,6-dideoxy-α-l-lyxo-hexofuranoside, which could be converted into either 24 or methyl 3-acetamido-5-O-acetyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-l-lyxo-hexofuranoside, which can be used as a starting material for the synthesis of daunomycin analogs.     

A side-reaction in the methylation of galacturonate derivatives with diazomethane-boron trifluoride etherate

Partial p-nitrobenzoylation of methyl (methyl 2-O-methyl-α-d-galactopyranosid)uronate (1) gave the 3-p-nitrobenzoate 2 in good yield. Treatment of 2 or methyl (methyl 2,3-di-O-benzoyl-α-d-galactopyranosid)uronate (11) with diazomethane-BF₃-etherate gave, in addition to the expected 4-methyl ethers, by-products resulting from lengthening of the carbon chain. The by-products were formulated as derivatives of methyl 4,7-anhydro-α-d-galacto-heptopyranosid-6-ulose dimethy acetal on the basis of p.m.r. and i.r. spectral data, by analysis of their mass-spectral fragmentation pattern, and by chemical transformations.     

Der einfluss des anomeren effektes auf furanosekonformationen. Röntgenstrukturanalyse fünf isomerer methyl-3,6-anhydrohexofuranoside

X-Ray crystallographic analysis of five isomeric methyl 3,6-anhydrohexofuranosides, methyl 3,6-anhydro-β-d-glucofuranoside (1), methyl 3,6-anhydro-α-l-idofuranoside (2), methyl 3,6-anhydro-β-d-mannofuranoside (3), methyl 3,6-anhydro-α-d-glucofuranoside (5), and methyl 3,6-anhydro-α-d-mannofuranoside (7), showed that the anomeric effect determines the conformation of the furanoid ring, which resulted in the quasi-axial orientation of the aglycon in all cases. Thus, 2 adopts an almost ideal E₂ conformation, whereas 1 and 3 having the same R configuration at the anomeric center showed conformations of the furanoid ring intermediate between E₂ and ¹T₂. Of the anomers 5 and 7 having an S configuration at C-1, 7 showed a related but opposite geometry, intermediate between ²E and ²T₁, and 5 had a ^oT₁ conformation, slightly distorted into ^oE. The anhydroring of all compounds showed a C-6 endo orientation, with the exception of 7, in which C-6 is exo oriented. These results from compounds in the solid state were compared with the conformations of the same compounds in solution, as deduced by ¹H-n.m.r. spectroscopy.     

An application of the palladium-catalyzed,allylic amination of unsaturated sugars: a new synthesis of d-forosamine

Methyl 4-O-benzoyl-6-bromo-6-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside, obtainable from methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-α-d-glucopyranoside (1), was converted into the 2,3-unsaturated 4-benzoate (3) by application of the triiodoimidazole method. Debenzoylation of 3, followed by acetylation, afforded crystalline methyl 4-O-acetyl-6-bromo-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-d-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (5). Treatment of 5 with benzylmethylamine under conditions of palladium-catalyzed, allylic substitution gave a separable mixture of the corresponding 4-(N-benzyl)methylamino-6-bromo-2-enoside (37%) and the 4,6-di-[(N-benzyl)methylamino]-2-enoside (55%). Debromination of 5 with lithium triethylborohydride, proceeding with simultaneous deacetylation, readily yielded methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-α-d-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (8). The 4-acetate of 8 (obtained by reacetylation), and also its 4-benzoate (prepared by a different synthetic route), furnished high yields (～80%) of methyl 4-[(N-benzyl)-methylamino]-2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-α-d-erythro-hex-2-enopyranoside (13) upon palladium-catalyzed animation with benzylmethylamine. Catalytic hydrogenation of 13 effected saturation of the alkenic double bond and removal of the N-benzyl group, to afford methyl 2,3,4,6-tetradeoxy-4-methylamino-α-d-erythro-hexopyranoside, which was subsequently N-methylated with formaldehyde and sodium borohydride, to give its N,N-dimethyl analog, methyl α-d-forosaminide (15). The overall yield of 15 from 1 was 24%. Hydrolysis of 15 to the free sugar has been described previously.     

Synthesis of derivatives of 3-amino-2,3-dideoxy-l-hexoses related to daunosamine (3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-l-lyxo-hexose)

The synthesis is described of 3-amino-2,3-dideoxy-l-arabino-hexose (10), methyl 2,3-dideoxy-3-trifluoroacetamido-α-l-lyxo-hexopyranoside (17), methyl 3-amino-2,3-dideoxy-α-l-ribo-hexopyranoside (21), methyl 2,3-dideoxy-3-trifluoroacetamido-α-l-xylo-hexopyranoside (26), and certain derivatives from methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-α-l-arabino-hexopyranoside (3). Conversion of 2-deoxy-l-arabino-hexose into 3 by modified, standard procedures, and on a large scale, gave a 75% yield.     

Evaluation of human neutrophil elastase inhibitory effect of iridoid glycosides from Hedyotis diffusa

Five iridoid glycosides were isolated from the MeOH extract of Hedyotis diffusa, and their structures were elucidated as E-6-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl scandoside methyl ester (1), Z-6-O-p-methoxycinnamoyl scandoside methyl ester (2), E-6-O-p-feruloyl scandoside methyl ester (3), E-6-O-p-coumaroyl scandoside methyl ester (4), and Z-6-O-p-coumaroyl scandoside methyl ester (5) by interpretation of their spectroscopic data. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for human neutrophil elastase inhibitory effect, and compound 1 showed potent activity with an IC₅₀ value of 18.0 μM. The molecular docking simulation suggested a structural model for the inhibition of human neutrophil elastase by compound 1.     

The synthesis of 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-l-xylo-hexopyranose derivatives

Derivatives (the 3-acetamido-4-benzoate 12, the 3-acetamido-4-acetate 13, and the N-acetyl derivative 14) of the methyl glycoside of the title sugar were prepared in a sequence of high-yielding steps from methyl 3-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-di-deoxy-α-d-arabino-hexopyranoside (4). N-Bromosuccinimide converted 4 into the crystalline 4-O-benzoyl-6-bromide 5, which was treated with silver fluoride to afford the 5,6-unsaturated glycoside 6. Catalytic hydrogenation of 6 led, essentially, to a 7:1 mixture of 12 and its 5-epimeric d-arabino isomer 7. Alternatively, 6 was debenzoylated to 10, and the latter treated with lithium aluminum hydride to give crystalline methyl 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-α-d-threo-hex-5-enopyranoside (11). Reduction of 11 (as its salt) by hydrogen, with subsequent N-acetylation, furnished the methyl β-l-xylo-glycoside 13 almost exclusively, with net inversion at C-5. Compound 13 was readily converted into the crystalline target compound 14. When dehydrobromination by silver fluoride was attempted with the 3-acetamido analog (2) of 5, a 3,6-anhydro product (1) was obtained, instead of the expected 5,6-alkene 3.