IChO 2018 · Theory problem 7

Cidofovir

Cidofovir (1), originally designed and prepared by the group of Professor Holy in former Czechoslovakia, is a nucleotide analogue with antiviral activity. It is used to treat viral infections, mostly in patients with AIDS.

Figure 1

Cidofovir (1)

The key intermediate in the synthesis of cidofovir is optically pure diol 2, which can be prepared from L-mannitol (3).

Figure 2

7.1 Draw the structures of compounds A–D, including stereochemistry. One molecule of A produces two molecules of B.

7.2 Draw the structural formulae of all alternative stereoisomers of compound 3 which could be used in the same reaction sequence to afford only the same product 2.

Diol 2 is further modified to provide compound I. The synthesis of phosphonate 4 used to convert compound F to G will be discussed later.

Figure 3

7.3 Draw the structures of compounds E–I, including stereochemistry. Use the abbreviation MMT for the (4-methoxyphenyl)diphenylmethyl group.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 7.1. The four compounds are:
Compound Name Stereochemical SMILES
A 1,2:5,6-Di-O-isopropylidene-L-mannitol CC1(C)OC[C@@H]([C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H]2COC(C)(C)O2)O1
B (4S)-2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-carbaldehyde CC1(C)OC[C@@H](C=O)O1
C [(4R)-2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl]methanol, or (R)-solketal CC1(C)OC[C@@H](CO)O1
D (4R)-4-[(Benzyloxy)methyl]-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane CC1(C)OC[C@@H](COCc2ccccc2)O1
  • 7.2. There are two distinct alternative stereoisomers:
Name Absolute configuration along the hexitol chain Stereochemical SMILES
L-Altritol \((2S,3R,4S,5S)\) OC[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H](O)CO
L-Iditol \((2S,3R,4R,5S)\) OC[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)CO

To draw their Fischer projections, place \(\ce{CH2OH}\) at both ends of a vertical chain. From C2 to C5, put the hydroxyl groups right–left–left–left for L-altritol and right–left–right–left for L-iditol. Put hydrogen opposite each hydroxyl group.

  • 7.3. MMT denotes the (4-methoxyphenyl)diphenylmethyl group. It is expanded in the SMILES to keep the strings chemically valid.
Compound Name Stereochemical SMILES
E (2R)-3-(Benzyloxy)-1-(MMT-oxy)propan-2-ol COc1ccc(C(OC[C@H](O)COCc2ccccc2)(c2ccccc2)c2ccccc2)cc1
F Sodium (2R)-3-(benzyloxy)-1-(MMT-oxy)propan-2-olate COc1ccc(C(OC[C@H]([O-])COCc2ccccc2)(c2ccccc2)c2ccccc2)cc1.[Na+]
G Diethyl {[(2R)-3-(benzyloxy)-1-(MMT-oxy)propan-2-yl]oxymethyl}phosphonate COc1ccc(C(OC[C@H](OCP(=O)(OCC)OCC)COCc2ccccc2)(c2ccccc2)c2ccccc2)cc1
H Diethyl {[(2S)-3-(benzyloxy)-1-hydroxypropan-2-yl]oxymethyl}phosphonate OC[C@H](OCP(=O)(OCC)OCC)COCc1ccccc1
I Diethyl {[(2R)-3-(benzyloxy)-1-(methanesulfonyloxy)propan-2-yl]oxymethyl}phosphonate CS(=O)(=O)OC[C@H](OCP(=O)(OCC)OCC)COCc1ccccc1

Solution

7.1. Identification of A–D

Number the original hexitol chain C1–C6. L-Mannitol (3) is \((2S,3S,4S,5S)\)-hexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol, SMILES OC[C@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)[C@@H](O)CO.

Formation of A: protection of the two terminal diols.

Acetone, CC(=O)C, forms cyclic ketals with vicinal diols. The molecular formula of A corresponds to incorporation of two acetone molecules with loss of two water molecules:

\[ \ce{C6H14O6 + 2 C3H6O <=>[ZnCl2] C12H22O6 + 2 H2O}. \]

To leave a cleavable central diol and subsequently produce two identical three-carbon fragments, the protected pairs must be O1/O2 and O5/O6. Thus A contains two five-membered acetonide rings, each with an \(\ce{O-C(CH3)2-O}\) bridge. The hydroxyl groups at C3 and C4 remain free.

No stereogenic carbon undergoes substitution or epimerization. The original spatial configurations are retained.

Formation of B: periodate cleavage.

The free C3–C4 vicinal diol forms a periodate ester and undergoes oxidative cleavage of the C3–C4 bond. Each of these carbons becomes an aldehyde carbon:

\[ \ce{C12H22O6 + NaIO4 -> 2 C6H10O3 + NaIO3 + H2O}. \]

The two halves have the same absolute configuration, so one molecule of A gives two molecules of B, the (S)-glyceraldehyde acetonide listed above. Its original terminal \(\ce{CH2OH}\) group and adjacent oxygen remain incorporated in the acetonide ring.

Formation of C: reduction of the aldehyde.

Sodium borohydride reduces the aldehyde substituent of B to \(\ce{CH2OH}\), while leaving the acetonide intact. A balanced net equation, including aqueous protonation/work-up, is

\[ \ce{4 C6H10O3 + NaBH4 + 4 H2O -> 4 C6H12O3 + Na[B(OH)4]}. \]

This gives C, (R)-solketal. No new stereocentre is formed: the aldehyde carbon becomes a methylene carbon.

The descriptor changes from \(S\) in B to \(R\) in C because reduction changes the CIP priority order of the two carbon substituents. It does not represent inversion at the existing stereocentre.

Formation of D: benzylation of the free alcohol.

Sodium hydride deprotonates the sole free hydroxyl group of C, releasing hydrogen. The resulting alkoxide attacks benzyl bromide, BrCc1ccccc1, at its benzylic carbon by an \(S_\mathrm{N}2\) reaction.

Using \(\ce{R}\) for the protected glycerol residue, the combined balanced equation is

\[ \ce{ROH + NaH + PhCH2Br -> ROCH2Ph + NaBr + H2}. \]

Consequently, D is obtained by replacing the exocyclic \(\ce{CH2OH}\) group of C with \(\ce{CH2OCH2Ph}\). Its acetonide and stereochemical arrangement remain intact.

Hydrolysis of D to verify product 2.

Aqueous hydrochloric acid hydrolyses the acetonide, restoring the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups:

\[ \ce{C13H18O3 + H2O ->[H+] C10H14O3 + (CH3)2CO}. \]

The benzyl ether remains in place. The product is (2S)-3-(benzyloxy)propane-1,2-diol (2), SMILES OC[C@H](O)COCc1ccccc1, exactly the stereoisomer shown in the question.

For a drawing matching the supplied orientation, place the \(\ce{CH2OH}\) arm above the stereocentre and the \(\ce{CH2OCH2Ph}\) arm below it; draw the central hydroxyl bond as a hashed wedge pointing behind the page.

7.2. Alternative starting stereoisomers

Only the original stereocentres at C2 and C5 survive the sequence. The centres at C3 and C4 are destroyed when periodate converts those carbons into aldehyde groups.

For both halves to give exclusively the specified product 2, C2 and C5 must therefore both retain the configurations present in L-mannitol: \(2S\) and \(5S\). The configurations at C3 and C4 may be chosen independently:

C2 C3 C4 C5 Identity
\(S\) \(S\) \(S\) \(S\) Original L-mannitol
\(S\) \(R\) \(S\) \(S\) L-Altritol
\(S\) \(S\) \(R\) \(S\) The same L-altritol, numbered from the opposite end
\(S\) \(R\) \(R\) \(S\) L-Iditol

The two mixed configurations in the middle rows describe the same molecule, because the terminal groups are identical and the chain can be numbered from either end.

Thus there are exactly two additional starting stereoisomers, L-altritol and L-iditol. Their terminal acetonide-protected fragments become identical to B after cleavage, regardless of the configurations of the two carbons being cleaved.

7.3. Identification of E–I

Throughout this sequence, the carbon skeleton and the spatial arrangement at its stereocentre are preserved. To draw every intermediate in the orientation used for 2, keep the upper primary carbon arm and lower benzyl-protected carbon arm in the plane, and keep the bond from the central carbon to oxygen pointing behind the plane.

Formation of E: selective primary hydroxyl protection.

The bulky MMT group protects the less hindered primary hydroxyl group. The secondary hydroxyl group remains free.

MMT chloride is (4-methoxyphenyl)diphenylmethyl chloride, SMILES COc1ccc(C(Cl)(c2ccccc2)c2ccccc2)cc1. Triethylamine captures the hydrogen chloride produced:

\[ \ce{ROH + MMTCl + NEt3 -> ROMMT + [Et3NH]Cl}. \]

Therefore E has the connectivity

\[ \ce{MMT-O-CH2-CH(OH)-CH2-O-CH2-Ph}, \]

with the stereochemistry specified in its SMILES.

The formula check is

\[ \ce{C10H14O3 + C20H17OCl -> C30H30O4 + HCl}, \]

consistent with the stated formula of E.

Formation of F: secondary alkoxide formation.

Sodium hydride removes the proton of the remaining secondary hydroxyl group:

\[ \ce{ROH + NaH -> RONa + H2}. \]

Thus F is the sodium alkoxide of E. Its central substituent is \(\ce{O^-}\), with \(\ce{Na+}\) as counterion. The ionic SMILES does not prescribe a particular sodium coordination, solvation or aggregation state.

Formation of G: phosphonomethylation at oxygen.

Reagent 4 is diethyl (tosyloxymethyl)phosphonate, SMILES CCOP(=O)(COS(=O)(=O)c1ccc(C)cc1)OCC.

The alkoxide oxygen of F attacks the methylene carbon bearing the tosylate leaving group:

\[ \ce{RONa + TsOCH2P(=O)(OEt)2 -> ROCH2P(=O)(OEt)2 + TsONa}. \]

This installs the central substituent

\[ \ce{-O-CH2-P(=O)(OEt)2} \]

and gives G. The new bond is formed between the alkoxide oxygen and the reagent’s methylene carbon. No bond at the existing stereogenic carbon is displaced.

Formation of H: removal of MMT.

Aqueous acetic acid cleaves the acid-labile MMT ether, restoring the primary alcohol:

\[ \ce{ROMMT + H2O ->[H+] ROH + MMTOH}. \]

The benzyl ether and diethyl phosphonate groups remain intact. Thus H has the connectivity

\[ \ce{HO-CH2-CH(OCH2P(=O)(OEt)2)-CH2-O-CH2-Ph}. \]

Formation of I: mesylation of the primary alcohol.

Methanesulfonyl chloride, CS(=O)(=O)Cl, converts the primary hydroxyl group of H into its methanesulfonate ester. Triethylamine captures the hydrogen chloride:

\[ \ce{ROH + CH3SO2Cl + NEt3 -> ROSO2CH3 + [Et3NH]Cl}. \]

The product therefore has the connectivity

\[ \ce{CH3SO2-O-CH2-CH(OCH2P(=O)(OEt)2)-CH2-O-CH2-Ph}, \]

with the stereochemistry of I given in the answer table.

Starting from \(\ce{C15H25O6P}\) for H, replacing the hydroxyl hydrogen by \(\ce{SO2CH3}\) gives

\[ \boxed{\ce{C16H27O8PS}}, \]

matching the supplied formula.

The absolute descriptors along this sequence are

\[ \mathbf{2}\;(S) \longrightarrow \mathbf{E}\;(R) \longrightarrow \mathbf{F}\;(R) \longrightarrow \mathbf{G}\;(R) \longrightarrow \mathbf{H}\;(S) \longrightarrow \mathbf{I}\;(R). \]

These changes in \(R/S\) labels arise solely from changes in CIP priorities. There is no inversion or loss of configuration at the surviving stereocentre.

The answers were checked against the official answers published by the organisers.