Asymmetric biomimetic oxidations of phenols: the mechanism of the diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of thomasidioic acid

Molecules. 2008 Jan 23;13(1):129-48. doi: 10.3390/molecules13010129.

Abstract

Enantiopure chiral amidic derivatives of sinapic acid were oxidised with hydrogen peroxide using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as the catalyst to give the aryltetraline dilignol thomasidioic acid. Trans-diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity in the formation of thomasidioic acid was observed. Computational methods show that the enantioselectivity is controlled by the beta-beta oxidative coupling step, while the diastereoselectivity is controlled by the stability of the reactive conformation of the intermediate quinomethide.

MeSH terms

  • Benzoates / chemical synthesis*
  • Benzoates / chemistry*
  • Biomimetics / methods*
  • Biphenyl Compounds / chemical synthesis*
  • Biphenyl Compounds / chemistry*
  • Furans / chemistry
  • Hydrolysis
  • Lignans / chemistry
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phenols / metabolism*
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Benzoates
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Furans
  • Lignans
  • Phenols
  • thomasidioic acid
  • pinoresinol