Application of an enyne metathesis/Diels–Alder cycloaddition sequence: a new versatile approach to the syntheses of C-aryl glycosides and spiro-C-aryl glycosides

Abstract

An efficient approach for the synthesis of a variety of C-aryl and spiro-C-aryl glycosides is described. This diversity-oriented strategy employed here relies on a sequential enyne metathesis to generate the 1,3-diene moiety and Diels–Alder reaction with different dienophiles followed by aromatisation. Whereas cross-enyne metathesis with ethylene gas is used to install the 1,3-diene moiety at the anomeric centre for the synthesis of C-aryl glycosides, an intramolecular enyne metathesis on the sugar enyne is performed to generate the 1,3-diene moiety for the synthesis of spiro-C-aryl glycosides. Efforts to extend this strategy to the synthesis of the core structure of natural C-aryl glycoside gilvocarcin are also described. A combination of both C-aryl and spiro-C-aryl glycosides in the same moiety to combine the features thereof has also been accomplished. A tandem enyne metathesis/Diels–Alder reaction/aromatisation has also been attempted to directly access the C-aryl glycosides in one pot albeit in low yield.