Enantioselective total syntheses of manzamine a and related alkaloids

As a prelude to undertaking the total syntheses of the complex manzamine alkaloids, a series of model studies were conducted to establish the scope and limitations of intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloadditions of N-acylated vinylogous ureas with the trienic substrates 17a,b, 28a,b, and 34. These experiments clearly demonstrated that the geometry of the internal double bond and the presence of an electron-withdrawing group on the diene moiety were essential for the facile and stereoselective formation of the desired cycloadducts. The enantioselective syntheses of the manzamine alkaloids ircinol A (75), ircinal A (5), and manzamine A (1) were then completed by employing a convergent strategy that featured a novel domino Stille/Diels-Alder reaction to construct the tricyclic ABC ring core embodied in these alkaloids. Thus, the readily accessible chiral dihydropyrrole 58 was first converted in a single chemical operation into the key tricyclic intermediate 60. Two ring-closing metathesis reactions were then used to form the 13- and 8-membered rings leading to Z-72 and 74, the latter of which was quickly elaborated into ircinal A (5) via ircinol A (75). The synthetic 5 thus obtained was converted into manzamine A (1) following literature precedent. This concise synthesis of ircinal A required a total of 24 operations from commercially available starting materials with the longest linear sequence being 21 steps.     

Synthetic strategies directed to the antitumour alkaloids sesbanimide A and manzamine A

Synthons derived from nature's chiral pool have been utilized in developing strategies aimed at the syntheses of the alkaloids sesbanimide A and manzamine A. The route designed for sesbanimide A has provided the naturally occurring alkaloid and a facile access to several analogues for structure-activity relationship studies. The approach to the synthesis of manzamine A has led to a strategically functionalized chiral tricyclic intermediate possessing the absolute stereochemistry of the natural product. Recent results on the synthesis of sesbanimide analogues and the progress towards the total synthesis of manzamine A is described.     

Enantiocontrolled total syntheses of breviones A, B, and C

Enantiocontrolled total syntheses of the breviones A, B, and C have been accomplished using a highly diastereoselective oxidative coupling of an α-pyrone with a tricyclic diene prepared from an optically pure Wieland-Miescher ketone derivative through the 7-endo-trig mode of acyl radical cyclization.     

Additionsreaktionen der nitrosogruppe—XVII: Regiospezifität und kinetik bei diels-alder-reaktionen von nitrosoverbindungen mit 1-arylbutadien-2-carbonsäuren

In the diene synthesis with nitrosobenzenes, 1-arylbutadiene-2-carboxylic acids give, regiospecifially, adducts of structure 3. Substituents in the nitrosobenzene derivative have a strong influence on the rate of the cycloaddition, substituents in the aryl group of the diene almost none.     

Neuritogenic activity-guided isolation of a free base form manzamine A from a marine sponge, Acanthostrongylophora aff. ingens (Thiele, 1899)

Two manzamine-class alkaloids, manzamine A (1) and 8-hydroxymanzamine (2) were isolated from a Japanese marine sponge Acanthostrongylophora aff. ingens, together with three known alkaloids manzamine E (3), manzamine F (4), and manzamine X (5). The spectral features of 1 and 2 were different from the reported data. Detailed structure analysis using 2D NMR revealed the structure of 1 and 2 as a free base form of hydrochloric salt. These manzamine-class alkaloids showed neuritogenic activity against Neuro 2a cells.     

Stille-Heck coupling sequences applied in a versatile new access to steroid skeletons

A variety of enantiomerically pure steroidal compounds was synthesized utilizing a sequence of Stille and Heck cross-coupling reactions and subsequent thermal 6pi-electrocyclizations. Highly chemoselective Stille couplings on the triflate moiety of several 2-bromocyclohex-1-enyl triflates with cis- and trans-fused bicyclo[4.3.0]nonenylstannanes furnished the corresponding tricyclic bromobutadienes in good to excellent yields (70-97%). These were subjected to Heck reactions with tert-butyl acrylate to provide pentasubstituted tricyclic 1,3,5-hexatrienes. A significant increase in efficiency could be achieved by applying a novel protocol with a precatalyst on the basis of the palladacycle prepared from Pd(OAc)2 and P(o-Tol)3 with added triarylphosphines as co-ligands (73-90% yield). Upon heating to 205-215 degrees C in decalin or to 140 degrees C in toluene (for certain cases), these hexatrienes yielded (78-90%) various unsaturated steroid analogues as single diastereomers. A particular oxohexatriene, obtained after deprotection of an adjacent carbonyl group, underwent 6pi-electrocyclization at the unusually low temperature of 140 degrees C to yield (75%) an interesting 7-carboxyl-substituted steroidal dienone. Attempts to remove the remaining protecting groups from some of the other new steroidal compounds under acidic conditions furnished a novel 3-oxo-7-carboxyl steroid analogue and a 3-hydroxy-substituted steroidal diene. A novel estradiol derivative could be obtained in 69% yield from the synthesized steroidal dienone. Deprotection furnished the corresponding unprotected 7-carboxylestradiol in 81% yield.     

Chiral quinuclidine-based amine catalysts for the asymmetric one-pot, three-component aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction

Chiral quinuclidine derivatives were employed as catalysts in the one-pot, three-component aza-Baylis-Hillman reaction between arylaldehydes, tosylamide and alkyl acrylates or acrylonitrile. A sterically non-hindered tricyclic derivative of quinidine was found to be the most efficient catalyst in transferring its chiral information. High conversions were ensured by using a catalytic amount of titanium isopropoxide and by the addition of molecular sieves (4 Å). The adducts formed, α-methylene-β-amino acid derivatives, were obtained in good yields (up to 95%) and in enantioselectivities up to 74%.     

The first total synthesis of nakadomarin A

(-)-Nakadomarin A is a member of manzamine alkaloid isolated from a marine sponge and have a unique hexacyclic structure. The first total synthesis of (+)-nakadomarin A, an enantiomer of natural product, has been accomplished from stereochemically defined 4-oxopiperidin-3-carboxylic acid derivative. The synthesis established the structure of nakadomarin A including absolute configuration.     

Reactions of 1-tosyl-3-substituted indoles with conjugated dienes under thermal and/or high-pressure conditions

The behavior of 1-tosyl-3-acetylindole (1a), N,N-diethyl-1-tosyl-3-indoleglyoxylamide (1b), and 1-tosyl-3-nitroindole (1c) as dienophiles in Diels-Alder reactions under thermal and/or high-pressure conditions was explored with different dienes: isoprene (2), 1-(N-acetyl-N-propylamino)-1,3-butadiene (3), and 1-methoxy-3-trimethylsilyloxy-1,3-butadiene (Danishefsky's diene) (4). Compared to the acylated indoles, the nitro derivative proved to be the best dienophile. In general, the use of Danishefsky's diene led to high-yielding reactions under milder conditions. Likewise, high-pressure conditions proved to be better in producing high yields of products. The advantage of high-pressure over thermal conditions was the ability of the former to generate highly functionalized adducts in better yields, which were otherwise very difficult or impossible to obtain. The use of thermal or high-pressure conditions led to different regio- and/or stereoselectivity in the adducts, allowing control of the regio- or stereoisomer produced.     

One-pot enyne metathesis/Diels-Alder reaction for the construction of highly functionalized novel polycyclic aza-compounds

Various tricyclic dienes were synthesized via enyne metathesis using the first generation Grubbs catalyst. The enyne metathesis proceeded smoothly in refluxing CH₂Cl₂ with a low catalyst loading (3.0 mol %), giving good yields (72-89%) of the tricyclic products 6 and 16. The resulting 1,3-dienes are suitable precursors of polycyclic structures via a Diels-Alder process. One-pot RCM/Diels-Alder reactions of the enyne products with dienophiles proceeded smoothly to afford polycyclic compounds as a single cycloadduct. The structures of the Diels-Alder adducts were determined by ¹H NMR spectra and X-ray analysis. The cycloadducts were formed via the approach of the dienophiles towards the diene in endo mode.     

Abnormal Beckmann fragmentation/ring closing metathesis route for preparation of 18-nor-Delta-androgens and their 18-nor-13,17-epoxide derivatives

The synthesis of 18-nor-Δ¹³⁽¹⁷⁾-androgens and the structurally related 13,17-epoxides is described. The synthetic route involves the cleavage of 17-ketosteroids by an abnormal Beckmann rearrangement, modification of the D-ring cleavage product to obtain an intermediate tricyclic diene and ring closing metathesis of the diene to the 18-nor-Δ¹³⁽¹⁷⁾-androgen. (3α,5α)-18-Norandrost-13(17)-en-3-ol and the derivative 13α,17α- and 13β,17β-epoxides were prepared by this route.     

Hydrogenation and halogenation of 6-phenyl-5-azabenzo[f]fluoranthene and reduction of its adducts with acrylonitrile

The hydrogenation of 6-phenyl-5-azabenzo[f]fluoranthene in the presence of rhenium heptasulfide takes place in the meso positions of its azaanthracene fragment. The reaction of 5-azabenzo[f]fluoranthene with acid chlorides and aluminum chloride in nitrobenzene gives its 8-chloro derivative. The reduction of the adducts of the diene synthesis of 6-phenyl-5-azabenzo[f]fluoranthene with acrylonitrile by means of sodium in butyl alcohol leads to the corresponding aminomethyl derivatives and a product of retrodiene synthesis, viz., the starting azabenzofluoranthene. The reduction of the adduct of the diene synthesis of 1,3-diphenyl-2-azaanthracene with acrylonitrile proceeds similarly.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsikllcheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 233–235, February, 1982.     

Short Access to Belt Compounds with Spatially Close CC Bonds and Their Transannular Reactions

Two domino Diels–Alder adducts were obtained from 3,7‐bis(cyclopenta‐2,4‐dien‐1‐ylidene)‐cis‐bicyclo[3.3.0]octane and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate or N‐methylmaleimide under microwave irradiation. From the first adduct, a C₂₀H₂₄ diene with C_2v symmetry was obtained by Zn/AcOH reduction, hydrolysis, oxidative decarboxylation, and selective hydrogenation. Photochemical [2+2] cycloaddition of this diene gave a thermally unstable cyclobutane derivative, which reverts to the diene. However, both the diene and the cyclobutane derivatives could be identified by X‐ray diffraction analysis upon irradiation of the diene crystal. New six‐membered rings are formed upon the transannular addition of bromine or iodine to the diene. The N‐type selectivity of the addition was examined by theoretical calculations, which revealed the distinct susceptibility of the doubly bonded carbon atoms to the bromine attack.     

Reaction of unsymmetrical dienophiles with a key dienoid intermediate for aphidicolin synthesis

The Diels-Alder reactions of diene (6) with α-chloroacrylyl chloride and nitroethylene afford adducts (11) and (12), as proven by X-ray crystallographic analysis of a key transformation product (10), supplemented by appropriate correlation experiments. Formation of these adducts, rather than the less sterically congested isomers (7) and (9), can be rationalized using frontier molecular orbital theory.     

Enantiospecific synthesis of the proposed structure of the antitubercular marine diterpenoid pseudopteroxazole: revision of stereochemistry.

An enantiospecific synthesis of structure 1, previously assigned to the antitubercular marine natural product pseudopteroxazole, has been accomplished as outlined in Scheme 1. Coupling of diene acid 3 and amino phenol 4 produced the amide 5, which was subjected to a novel oxidative intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction to generate the tricyclic lactam 6a stereoselectively. This product was transformed via intermediates 7-11 into the diene 13. Cationic cyclization of 13 afforded two diastereomeric tricyclic amphilectanes which were separated and transformed by parallel four-step sequences into 1 and 2, respectively. Neither 1 nor 2 were identical with pseudopteroxazole, indicating a need for revision of the structure, probably to 16.     

Synthesis of fluorous fullerene adducts: reversible solubilization of fullerenes in perfluorinated solvents

Fullerene (C60) Diels-Alder adducts with perfluoroalkylated 1,3-cyclopentadiene (1a,b) were synthesized and studied. The perfluoroalkylated cyclopentadiene was found to be less reactive toward C60 than cyclopentadiene itself, possibly because of the electron-withdrawing effect of the side chain. Because of the same effect, the temperature of the retro-Diels-Alder reaction for the fluorinated adducts was lower (70 degrees C) than the reported value (95 degrees C) for the cyclopentadiene adducts of C60. Higher adducts of the fluorous diene and C60 were found to be soluble in perfluorohexane and to show visible partitioning between organic (toluene) and fluorous phases. Also, the Diels-Alder addition of the fluorous diene was accompanied by extensive oxidation of the fullerene core, as revealed by MALDI-TOF data.     

Intramolecular cycloadditions of cyclobutadiene with dienes: experimental and computational studies of the competing (2 + 2) and (4 + 2) modes of reaction

Highly functionalized, cyclobutene-containing adducts are afforded through intramolecular cycloadditions between cyclobutadiene and tethered dienes. The cycloaddition displays the following reactivity trend: cyclobutadiene serves as a dienophile in intramolecular reactions when it is connected to the diene through a four-atom tether. In cases where a three-atom linker separates the two reaction partners, the cyclobutadiene can function as both a diene and dienophile, affording a mixture of vinylcyclobutane (2 + 2) and cyclohexene-containing cycloadducts (4 + 2). Theoretical studies provide insight into the factors influencing the various pericyclic pathways operative in this system. In cases where cyclobutadiene functions as a diene to generate vinylcyclobutanes, these (2 + 2) adducts can be converted into the corresponding (4 + 2) cyclohexenyl products through a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement.     

Synthetic studies toward the kempane diterpenes. Construction of a key tricyclic intermediate

A synthetic sequence is described for construction of the tricyclic portion (35) of kempane diterpenes. The central stereochemistry was established by a Diels-Alder addition of 2,6-dimethyl-para-benzoquinone to a 5-membered, dithiane-protected diene, and the addition of acetylide, with very high chemoselectivity, provided a suitably functionalized handle that will be incorporated into the final seven-membered ring. The remaining stereogenic centres about the decalin moiety were established by a series of equilibration and reduction steps.     

Antimalarial activity of a new family of analogues of manzamine A

Manzamine A represents an important lead structure for the development of novel antimalarial chemotherapies. The synthesis and biological evaluation of a group of simplified analogues of manzamine A, which were designed to examine the roles of the A and D rings and of both the relative stereochemistry and the orientation of the beta-carboline heterocycle on the antimalarial activity of manzamine A, are described. [structure: see text]     

Palladium(0) deposited on PAMAM dendrimers as a catalyst for C-C cross coupling reactions

PAMAM dendrimers of generations G2-G3 as well as a partially substituted derivative of generation G4 and a low-molecular-weight tricyclic ligand 4 were used to bind Pd(0) nanoparticles. The obtained adducts were tested as catalysts for C-C cross-coupling reactions, such as the Suzuki-Miyaura, Hiyama, Heck and Sonogashira reaction. The highest yields of the coupling product, diphenylacetylene, were obtained with all the catalysts studied in the Sonogashira coupling performed in ethanol with K?CO? as base. Very good results, 85-100%, were also found in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, while the efficiency of the Hiyama coupling appeared lower, with 38-52% of 2-methylbiphenyl formed. In all reactions, the G2-Pd(0) catalyst, containing an unmodified dendrimer, afforded the highest yields of the cross-coupling products.