Synthetic approaches toward natural product synthesis.

1,2-Dithiolan-3-one-1-oxide exists in antihumor antibiotic leinamycin and can cause DNA cleavage in the presence of thiols. Diastereoselective synthesis of this unique ring system has been achieved by low temperature oxidation of the corresponding 1,2-dithiolan-3-ones with 3,3-dimethyldioxirane. 5-Methyl-1,2-dithiolan-3-one-1-oxides were synthesized by oxidation of 5-methyl-1,2-dithiolan-3-one with 3,3-dimethyldioxirane. Eu(fod)₃ and C₆D₆ induced proton chemical shift studies showed that the major isomer in the product has a trans sulfoxide relative to the 5-methyl group. Low temperature oxidation of 4-substituted-amino-5,5-dimethyl-1,2-dithiolan-3-ones by 3,3-dimethyldioxirane preferentially led to the corresponding trans-1,2-dithiolan-3-one-1-oxides. This assignment was made on the basis of a X-ray crystallographic structure study. Formation of azlactones as well as 1,2-dithiolan-3-one-1,1-dioxide were also observed when some substituted 1,2-dithiolan-3-ones were oxidized by 3,3-ditnethyldioxirane. Three 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dithian-4-ones were synthesized by SnCl₄ mediated condensation of β-mercaptothioacids and acetone. Oxidation of 2,2,6-trimethyl-1,3-dithian-4-one with Ce(IV) did not give 1,2-dithiolan-3-one or 1,2-dithiolan-3-one-1-oxides as anticipated; 1,3-dithian-5-en-4-one was detected as the product instead. Synthetic approaches toward loline were explored. Intramolecular photoaddition of bicyclic olefinic N-nitrosamine did not give the desired product. An epoxide approach did not furnish loline due to unsuccessful epoxide ring opening by azide ion. In the urea approach, the tertiary nitrogen of the bicyclic urea preferentially undergoes a transannular iodocyclization. The same results were obtained by halocyclizing bis-silylimidate or mono-silylimidate of the bicyclic urea