| Biosyntheses of phytosterols such as
dammaranoid, lupanoid, oleananoid, and tirucallanoid are explained by
the cyclization of oxidosqualene via 6/6 bicyclic cation, 6/6/5 tricyclic
tertiary cation (pre-C ring cation), 6/6/6 tricyclic secondary cation
(C-ring cation), and 6/6/6/5 tetra-cyclic tertiary cation In the animal
kingdom, steroids are also constructed through the corresponding boat-form
B-ring intermediates. Transformation of pre-C ring cation to secondary
6/6/6-cation involves ring expansion of a tertiary cation into a six-membered
ring secondary cation, namely, an anti-Markovnikov cation. We chose 3-cyclopentyl-1,3-butanediondiol
as the model compound and investigated the chemical behavior of the generated
tert-cation. Although, BF3EEt2O, SnCl4, Sc(OTf)3, FeCl3, TiF4 or CF3SO3H
leads a hydride shift to give 5/5 spirocyclic ether, TiCl4 selectively
induces rearrangement to six-membered ring secondary cation by the ring
expansion that corresponds to the C-ring formation of sterol biosynthesis,
and afforded 6/5 cis ether, chlorination products. Thus, the biological
C-ring formation will be able to achieve as a chemical reaction. |