IChO 2000 · Theory problem 1

Synthesis of Compounds with Wound Healing Properties

Figure 1

Shikonin is a red compound found in the roots of the plant Lithospermum erythrorhizon which grows in Asia. Extracts of the root have been used for centuries in folk medicine and are used today in ointments for healing of wounds.

Figure 2

Shikonin

1.1 How many stereoisomers of Shikonin are possible ?

1.2 Do all stereoisomers of Shikonin have the same melting point? Mark with an X.

yes no

The following sequence is part of a synthetic route to Shikonin:

Figure 3

1.3 Draw the structural formula of reagent A.

1.4 Indicate (by means of an X in the appropriate check-box) the correct IUPAC name for reagent A.

2-Methyl-2-pentenoyl chloride ☐
1-Chloro-4-methyl-3-pentene ☐
4-Methyl-3-pentenoyl chloride ☐
4-Methyl-3-pentene-1-ol ☐
4,4-Dimethyl-3-butenoyl chloride ☐

1.5 Write the molecular formula of reagent C.

Numerous Shikonin analogues have been synthesized with a view to obtaining more potent compounds. One reaction sequence is shown below:

Figure 4

1.6 Draw the structural formula of compound E.

1.7 How many stereoisomers of compound E, if any, are possible

Another route to useful Shikonin analogues is the following:

Figure 5

1.8 Draw the structural formula of compound F.

1.9 Draw the structural formula of compound G.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 1.1: 2 stereoisomers, forming an enantiomeric pair.
  • 1.2: Yes. Put an X under “yes.”
  • 1.3: A is 4-methylpent-3-enoyl chloride, \(\ce{ClC(=O)CH2CH=C(CH3)2}\). SMILES: CC(C)=CCC(=O)Cl.
  • 1.4: Mark the third option: 4-Methyl-3-pentenoyl chloride.
  • 1.5: C: \(\ce{NaBH4}\), sodium borohydride. SMILES: [Na+].[BH4-].
  • 1.6: E is 5,8-dihydroxy-2-(4-methylpenta-1,3-dien-1-yl)naphthalene-1,4-dione. Its side chain is \(\ce{-CH=CH-CH=C(CH3)2}\). SMILES, with alkene configuration unspecified: O=C1C(C=CC=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21.
  • 1.7: 2 stereoisomers, with \((1E)\) and \((1Z)\) configurations of the side-chain double bond nearest the ring.
  • 1.8: F is 2-(4-bromo-1-methoxy-4-methylpentyl)-1,4,5,8-tetramethoxynaphthalene. SMILES: COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CCC(Br)(C)C)cc(OC)c12.
  • 1.9: G is 5-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-5-(1,4,5,8-tetramethoxynaphthalen-2-yl)pentanoic acid. SMILES: COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CCC(C)(C)C(=O)O)cc(OC)c12.

Solution

1.1

The side-chain carbon carrying the alcoholic hydroxyl group has four different substituents:

  • A hydroxyl group.
  • A hydrogen atom.
  • The substituted naphthoquinone ring.
  • The remaining chain, \(\ce{-CH2-CH=C(CH3)2}\).

It is therefore a stereogenic centre. There are no other stereogenic centres, and the side-chain alkene cannot have \(E/Z\) isomers because one of its carbons carries two identical methyl groups.

Thus, \[ N_{\text{stereoisomers}}=2^1=\boxed{2}. \]

The two configurations are:

Stereoisomer Isomeric SMILES
\((R)\)-Shikonin O=C1C([C@H](O)CC=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21
\((S)\)-Shikonin, also called alkannin O=C1C([C@@H](O)CC=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21

1.2

The two stereoisomers are enantiomers. Pure enantiomers have identical melting points under corresponding achiral conditions, so the answer is yes.

A racemic mixture can have a different melting point, but it is a mixture of these stereoisomers rather than an additional stereoisomer.

1.3

The first transformation introduces the group \[ \ce{-C(=O)-CH2-CH=C(CH3)2} \] onto the aromatic ring. This is a Friedel–Crafts acylation, so the required acid chloride is obtained by replacing the bond to the aromatic ring with chlorine:

\[ \boxed{\ce{ClC(=O)CH2CH=C(CH3)2}}. \]

This is 4-methylpent-3-enoyl chloride, A, SMILES CC(C)=CCC(=O)Cl.

The starting material is 5,8-dimethoxynaphthalene-1,4-dione, SMILES O=C1C=CC(=O)c2c(OC)ccc(OC)c21. The acylation product is 5,8-dimethoxy-6-(4-methylpent-3-enoyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione, SMILES O=C1C=CC(=O)c2c(OC)c(C(=O)CC=C(C)C)cc(OC)c21.

The balanced equation is \[ \ce{C12H10O4 + C6H9ClO ->[B] C18H18O5 + HCl}. \]

Catalyst B promotes electrophilic acylation. Replacement of an aromatic hydrogen by the acyl group releases hydrogen chloride, SMILES Cl.

For the requested drawing, show an acid chloride carbonyl bonded to \(\ce{CH2-CH=C(CH3)2}\).

1.4

Number the chain from the acid chloride carbonyl carbon:

\[ \underbrace{\ce{ClC(=O)}}_{1} -\underbrace{\ce{CH2}}_{2} -\underbrace{\ce{CH}}_{3} =\underbrace{\ce{C(CH3)}}_{4} -\underbrace{\ce{CH3}}_{5}. \]

The parent chain has five carbons, the double bond begins at carbon 3, and the methyl substituent is at carbon 4.

Therefore, select 4-Methyl-3-pentenoyl chloride, the third option. Its modern systematic form is 4-methylpent-3-enoyl chloride.

1.5

The indicated net change is reduction of the side-chain ketone to a secondary alcohol:

\[ \ce{-C(=O)-CH2-CH=C(CH3)2} \quad\longrightarrow\quad \ce{-CH(OH)-CH2-CH=C(CH3)2}. \]

The conventional reagent assignment is sodium borohydride: \[ \boxed{\ce{NaBH4}}, \] SMILES [Na+].[BH4-].

Hydride addition to the carbonyl carbon gives an alkoxide; protonation gives the alcohol. The balanced organic reduction half-equation is \[ \ce{C18H18O5 + 2H+ + 2e- -> C18H20O5}. \]

The product is 6-(1-hydroxy-4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)-5,8-dimethoxynaphthalene-1,4-dione, SMILES O=C1C=CC(=O)c2c(OC)c(C(O)CC=C(C)C)cc(OC)c21.

With achiral reagents and conditions, reduction creates a racemic pair at the new alcohol-bearing stereogenic centre.

1.6

Thionyl chloride, \(\ce{SOCl2}\), SMILES O=S(Cl)Cl, replaces the side-chain alcoholic hydroxyl group with chlorine. This agrees with the formula given for D: replacing \(\ce{OH}\) by \(\ce{Cl}\) converts \(\ce{C16H16O5}\) into \(\ce{C16H15ClO4}\).

Thus D is 2-(1-chloro-4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)-5,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione, SMILES O=C1C(C(Cl)CC=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21.

The balanced substitution equation is \[ \ce{C16H16O5 + SOCl2 -> C16H15ClO4 + SO2 + HCl}. \]

The gaseous by-products are sulfur dioxide, O=S=O, and hydrogen chloride, Cl.

Heating D with potassium hydroxide, [K+].[OH-], in ethanol, CCO, eliminates hydrogen chloride across the first two side-chain carbons. Chlorine leaves the carbon adjacent to the ring, and hydrogen is removed from the neighbouring methylene carbon:

\[ \ce{-CH(Cl)-CH2-CH=C(CH3)2} \quad\longrightarrow\quad \ce{-CH=CH-CH=C(CH3)2}. \]

The balanced elimination equation is \[ \ce{C16H15ClO4 + KOH -> C16H14O4 + KCl + H2O}. \]

The by-products are potassium chloride, [K+].[Cl-], and water, O.

Therefore, draw E by retaining the naphthoquinone ring and both phenolic hydroxyl groups, and replacing Shikonin’s side chain with \[ \boxed{\ce{-CH=CH-CH=C(CH3)2}}. \]

The complete structure is 5,8-dihydroxy-2-(4-methylpenta-1,3-dien-1-yl)naphthalene-1,4-dione, SMILES O=C1C(C=CC=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21.

1.7

The newly formed double bond has two different substituents on each carbon:

  • On its ring-side carbon: the naphthoquinone group and hydrogen.
  • On its other carbon: the remaining unsaturated chain and hydrogen.

It therefore has \(E/Z\) stereoisomerism. The more distant double bond still has two identical methyl groups on one carbon, so it contributes no additional configurations. The original stereogenic centre has become planar.

Hence, \[ \boxed{N_{\text{stereoisomers}}=2}. \]

Stereoisomer of E Isomeric SMILES
5,8-Dihydroxy-2-[(1E)-4-methylpenta-1,3-dien-1-yl]naphthalene-1,4-dione O=C1C(/C=C/C=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21
5,8-Dihydroxy-2-[(1Z)-4-methylpenta-1,3-dien-1-yl]naphthalene-1,4-dione O=C1C(/C=C\C=C(C)C)=CC(=O)c2c(O)ccc(O)c21

In the \(E\) drawing, the ring and the remaining chain lie on opposite sides of the new double bond; in the \(Z\) drawing, they lie on the same side. Rotation about the intervening single bond gives conformers, which are not additional configurational stereoisomers.

1.8

Let \(N\) denote the 1,4,5,8-tetramethoxynaphthalen-2-yl group.

The starting compound is 1,4,5,8-tetramethoxy-2-(1-methoxy-4-methylpent-3-en-1-yl)naphthalene, SMILES COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CC=C(C)C)cc(OC)c12. Its side chain is \[ \ce{N-CH(OCH3)-CH2-CH=C(CH3)2}. \]

Hydrogen bromide, Br, adds ionically to the alkene in the stated polar solvent. Protonation places the positive charge on the carbon bearing two methyl groups, giving the more stable tertiary carbocation. Bromide, [Br-], then bonds to that carbon.

The Markovnikov product therefore has the side chain \[ \boxed{\ce{N-CH(OCH3)-CH2-CH2-C(Br)(CH3)2}}. \]

The balanced equation is \[ \ce{C21H28O5 + HBr -> C21H29BrO5}. \]

This matches the supplied formula for F. In particular, the unchanged carbon and oxygen counts support addition of hydrogen bromide with retention of all five methoxy groups.

Thus F is 2-(4-bromo-1-methoxy-4-methylpentyl)-1,4,5,8-tetramethoxynaphthalene, SMILES COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CCC(Br)(C)C)cc(OC)c12.

For the drawing, replace the original side-chain double bond by a single bond, place bromine on the carbon bearing the two methyl groups, and add hydrogen to the other alkene carbon.

1.9

Magnesium inserts into the carbon–bromine bond to form a Grignard reagent. Reaction with carbon dioxide creates a carbon–carbon bond to the carbon dioxide carbon; aqueous acid then gives the carboxylic acid.

Writing \(R\) for the organic group remaining when bromine is removed from F, the balanced steps are \[ \ce{RBr + Mg -> RMgBr}, \] \[ \ce{RMgBr + CO2 -> RCO2MgBr}, \] \[ \ce{RCO2MgBr + HCl -> RCO2H + MgBrCl}. \]

The relevant intermediates can be represented formally as:

Intermediate SMILES
The alkylmagnesium bromide derived from F COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CCC(C)(C)[Mg]Br)cc(OC)c12
Its magnesium bromide carboxylate COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CCC(C)(C)C(=O)O[Mg]Br)cc(OC)c12

These SMILES show formal connectivity. They do not specify the ether coordination or aggregation present in a Grignard solution. Diethyl ether is CCOCC; carbon dioxide is O=C=O.

The overall balanced equation is \[ \ce{C21H29BrO5 + Mg + CO2 + HCl -> C22H30O7 + MgBrCl}, \] where the mixed magnesium halide can be represented ionically as [Mg+2].[Br-].[Cl-].

Consequently, the product side chain is \[ \boxed{\ce{N-CH(OCH3)-CH2-CH2-C(CH3)2-C(=O)OH}}. \]

The extra carbon and two extra oxygen atoms come from carbon dioxide; protonation supplies the additional hydrogen. This gives precisely the stated formula, \(\ce{C22H30O7}\).

Thus G is 5-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-5-(1,4,5,8-tetramethoxynaphthalen-2-yl)pentanoic acid, SMILES COc1ccc(OC)c2c(OC)c(C(OC)CCC(C)(C)C(=O)O)cc(OC)c12.

The starting methoxy-bearing stereogenic centre is unspecified in the supplied drawing, so it is also left unspecified in the SMILES for F and G. The carbon bearing two methyl groups is not stereogenic.

The solution was checked against the official solution.