An Asymmetric Horner-Wittig reaction: Synthesis of Phytosterols and unravelling their role in disease.

Abstract

Phytosterols are major components of food and are structurally related to cholesterol, but differ from it by virtue of a carbon substituent at the C-24 position and in some cases, a double bond between C-22 and C-23 (Figure i). Furthermore, phytosterols are shown to have protective actions against colon, breast, and prostate cancer1; further investigation is required as their mode of action is unknown. Thus, reported herein is the design and synthetic implementation required to construct these naturally occurring compounds. Figure i : Cholesterol Construction towards a double bond flanked by two asymmetric carbon atoms, observed in the phytosterol side chain, will be synthesised using an asymmetric Horner-Wittig (H-W) reaction, involving a chiral α-substituted aldehyde and a chiral β-substituted phosphine oxide. In addition to the synthesis, the stereochemical outcomes of these H-W reactions were probed. The results demonstrated, that by varying the steric bulk, electronic nature, and aromatic properties of the groups β to the phosphorus and α to the aldehyde can control the cis/trans selectivity in alkene formation. Finally, to display the utility of this methodology, the phytosterol compounds will be synthesised and tested in MD-MBA-231 cancer cell lines, allowing further investigation into the phytosterol mechanism of action.