In connection with the de elopment of a practical synthesis of the right half, and its analog E7389, of halichondrin B, an efficient and scalable synthesis of the two major building blocks is reported. In addition, a new synthesis of the C20–C26 segment via a regiospecific and stereoselecti e SN2' process is presented. A sulfonamide class of ligands is shown to be effective for asymmetric Ni/Cr-mediated reactions under both stoichiometric and catalytic conditions, and the X-ray structure reveals this class of ligands to be tridentate. On the basis of three X-ray structures, a possible mechanism is suggested for this process. Stable and crystalline Cr(III)/sulfonamide complexes are shown to be effective for catalytic Cr-mediated coupling reactions of allyl, alkenyl, and alkyl halides with aldehydes, and some examples for application of the stoichiometric and catalytic asymmetric processes are presented.

[reaction: see text] A novel C3V-symmetric scaffold, trindane 7, has been efficiently synthesized from 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)-2,4,6-tris(chloromethyl)benzene (1) in six steps with 47% overall yield. The control of all-syn stereochemistry in the tribenzylation step has been achieved by blocking one side of the trindane ring as metal carbonyl complexes. The potential utility of trindane 7 as a receptor skeleton has been examined with a urea derivative 12 toward several anionic guests.

[reaction: see text] Via an X-ray analysis, the sulfonamide bearing R(1) = i-Pr, R(2) = Me, and R(3) = Me is shown to be a tridentate ligand to a Cr(III) salt. This class of ligands, represented by R(1) = t-Bu, R(2) = 2-naphthyl, and R(3) = Me, is effective to achieve an asymmetric Ni/Cr-mediated coupling reaction and, with the C14-C38 segment of halichondrins, its synthetic potential has been demonstrated. A possible mechanism is suggested for the process.

The marine natural product dysidiolide has been synthesized in a highly diastereoselective fashion that features the sequential transfer of chirality from a cyclohexenone precursor.

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