The total syntheses of aflastatin A and its C3–C48
degradation
fragment (6a, R = H) have been accomplished. The syntheses
feature several complex diastereoselective fragment couplings, including
a Felkin-selective trityl-catalyzed Mukaiyama aldol reaction, a chelate-controlled
aldol reaction involving soft enolization with magnesium, and an anti-Felkin-selective
boron-mediated oxygenated aldol reaction. Careful comparison of the
spectroscopic data for the synthetic C3–C48 degradation fragment
to that reported by the isolation group revealed a structural misassignment
in the lactol region of the naturally derived degradation product.
Ultimately, the data reported for the naturally derived aflastatin
A C3–C48 degradation lactol (6a, R = H) were attributed
to its derivative lactol trideuteriomethyl ether (6c,
R = CD3). Additionally, the revised absolute configurations
of six stereogenic centers (C8, C9, and C28–C31) were confirmed.