Stereoselective synthesis of trifluoro- and monofluoro-analogues of frontalin and evaluation of their biological activity

J Org Chem. 2001 Dec 14;66(25):8336-43. doi: 10.1021/jo0055640.

Abstract

The stereoselective synthesis of both enantiomers of trifluoro frontalin (-)-(1S,5R)- and (+)-(1R,5S)-8, as well as of diastereomeric monofluoro frontalines (-)-(1R,2R,5R)-18 and (-)-(1R,2S,5R)-20, analogues of the bioactive component of the aggregation pheromone of the Scolytidae insect family, has been accomplished starting from (-)-(1R)- and (+)-(1S)-menthyl (S)-toluene-4-sulfinate as a source of chirality and methyl trifluoroacetate or fluoroacetate, respectively, as sources of fluorine. The C-1 stereocenters were installed via stereoselective epoxidation of beta-sulfinyl ketones 2 and 13 with diazomethane. The bicyclic core was obtained by totally stereocontrolled and chemoselective tandem Wacker oxidation/intramolecular ketalization of the intermediate unsatured sulfinyl diols 5, 15, and 19. Axially fluorinated (-)-20 elicited a strong electroantennographic response in laboratory tests on females of Dendroctonus micans, whereas equatorially fluorinated (-)-18 and the trifluoroanalogue (-)-8 showed modest responses. Field trials using (-)-20 were not indicative owing to the locally scarce population of D. micans, but it showed some attractiveness for other Coleoptera families.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / chemical synthesis*
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / chemistry
  • Coleoptera
  • Electrophysiology
  • Female
  • Fluorine
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Insect Control
  • Pheromones / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Pheromones / biosynthesis
  • Sense Organs
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Pheromones
  • Fluorine
  • frontalin