Zeolite NaY-promoted monocyclization of epoxy polyene terpenes: A unique route for the direct synthesis of incompletely cyclized naturally occurring terpenols

Abstract

A variety of epoxy polyene terpenes cyclize readily by confinement within zeolite NaY to form primarily products of monocyclization. The monocyclization pathway is highly predominant, irrespectively of the side chain of the epoxy terpene, while the monocyclic products possess regioselectively an exomethylenic double bond. The selective monocyclization in the case of epoxyfarnesyl acetate, epoxyfarnesylacetone or 2,3-epoxysqualene, provides a direct route to the synthesis of a variety of natural products, such as elengasidiol, farnesiferols B-D, achilleol A, camelliol C and to four farnesylacetone-derived metabolites isolated from the brown algae Cystophora monoliformis. The optical rotation of achilleol A derived from the cyclization of (S)-2,3-epoxysqualene matches with that of the natural product, thus the absolute configuration of achilleol A was established as 1S,3R. From the mechanistic point of view, the NaY-promoted cyclization of 9,10-epoxygeranylacetone, selectively deuterium labelled at the C-10 methyl group, is >97% stereoselective with respect to the topicity of the gem-dimethyl group. This result is in agreement with a concerted mechanism. Finally, we have proved through labelling experiments, for the first time, that the biomimetic transformation of epoxy polyene terpenes to 2,3,4-trimethylcyclohexanones upon acid catalysis is a highly stereoselective process. Thus, the less hindered gem-methyl group on the epoxide functionality becomes α- to the carbonyl in the final isomerized product. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.