Total synthesis of the proposed structure of `brahol' and the structural revision

Abstract

Proposed structure of brahol, a natural product, has been disproved by total synthesis of the proposed molecule from myo-inositol. Readily available 1,2;4,5-di-O-isopropylidene-myo-inositol, 3 was converted to 2,5-di-O-acetyl-1,6;3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-allo-inositol by epimerization of the di-triflate of 3. The acetyl group at O-5-position was selectively deprotected by aminolysis or methanolysis enabling the total synthesis of 5-O-methyl-allo-inositol, the proposed structure of brahol in six steps from myo-inositol. A comparison of spectral data of synthetic 5-O-methyl-allo-inositol with that reported for natural brahol revealed that the proposed structure of brahol is incorrect. A detailed structural revision revealed that brahol is nothing but quebrachitol. This study contradicts the first and only report on the natural occurrence of allo-inositol derivative.