A robust synthesis of gem-dialkyl acyclic diene monomers has been developed. This route is scalable, flexible, and biorenewable, allowing for the production of a wide range of diene monomers of different lengths and different gem-dialkyl substitution starting from unsaturated esters derived from seed oils. The metathesis polymerization of these monomers and the hydrogenation of the resulting polyolefins leads to telechelic gem-dialkyl polyethylenes, which can be used as elastomers in the synthesis of polyurethanes and other block polymers.

An enantioselective synthesis of 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) is reported. The synthesis begins with the preparation of enantiopure 3-oxodicyclopentadiene by a lipase-mediated kinetic resolution. A three-component coupling followed by a retro-Diels-Alder reaction provides the C8 stereochemistry of the prostaglandin skeleton with high enantioselectivity. Stereoretentive olefin metathesis followed by a Pinnick oxidation affords 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) in high enantiopurity.

An enantioselective synthesis of 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 is reported. The synthesis begins with the preparation of enantiopure 3-oxodicyclopentadiene by a lipase-mediated kinetic resolution. A three-component coupling followed by a retro-Diels-Alder reaction provides the C8 stereochemistry of the prostaglandin skeleton with high enantioselectivity. Stereoretentive olefin metathesis followed by a Pinnick oxidation affords 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 in high enantiopurity.

Delta(12)-Prostaglandin J family is recently discovered and has potent anticancer activity. Concise syntheses of four Delta(12)-prostaglandin J natural products (7-8 steps in the longest linear sequences) are reported, enabled by convergent stereoretentive cross-metathesis. Exceptional control of alkene geometry was achieved through stereoretention.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common and devastating intestinal disorders in preterm infants. Therapies to meet the clinical needs for this special and highly vulnerable population are extremely limited. A specific human milk oligosaccharide (HMO), disialyllacto-N-tetraose (DSLNT), was shown to contribute to the beneficial effects of breastfeeding as it prevented NEC in a neonatal rat model and was associated with lower NEC risk in a human clinical cohort study. Herein, gram-scale synthesis of two DSLNT analogs previously shown to have NEC preventing effect is described. In addition, four novel disialyl glycans have been designed and synthesized by enzymatic or chemoenzymatic methods. Noticeably, two disialyl tetraoses have been produced by enzymatic sialylation of chemically synthesized thioethyl β-disaccharides followed by removal of the thioethyl aglycon. Dose-dependent and single-dose comparison studies showed varying NEC-preventing effects of the disialyl glycans in neonatal rats. This study helps to refine the structure requirement of the NEC-preventing effect of disialyl glycans and provides important dose-dependent information for using DSLNT analogs as potential therapeutics for NEC prevention in preterm infants.

A new strategy for the functionalization of sterically hindered terminal olefins is reported. Alkenes bearing quaternary carbons at the allylic or homoallylic position are readily oxidized to the corresponding aldehydes by palladium/copper/nitrite catalysis. A broad range of functional groups including esters, nitriles, silyl ethers, vinylogous esters, ketones, lactones, and β-ketoesters are tolerated under the reaction conditions. The crude aldehyde products can be transformed further, enabling direct conversion of hindered terminal alkenes to various other synthetically useful functional groups, resulting in formal anti-Markovnikov hydroamination, among other transformations.

A mild aerobic intramolecular aminoacetoxylation method for the synthesis of pyrrolidine and indoline derivatives was achieved using molecular oxygen as the oxidant. A catalytic NOx species acts as an electron transfer mediator to access a high-valent palladium intermediate as the presumed active oxidant.