Total synthesis of (±)-podophyllotoxin and (±)-epipodophyllotoxin.

A novel approach to (±)-epipodophyllotoxin ($\text{2}$) and hence also (±)-podophyllotoxin ($\text{1}$) is described, involving as a key-step the stereoselective ring closure of the TMS-ester derived from $\text{14a}$ to the tetralin derivative $\text{15}$ with mesyl chloride.     

Synthesis of 2-isopropylfuro(2,3-b)quinolines-a new synthesis of (±)-lunacrine, (±)-lunasine and (±)-demethoxylunacrine

A new and convenient synthesis of 2-isopropylfuro-(2,3-b)quinolines ($\text{4}$) from 3-(3-methylbut-1-enyl)-2-quinolones ($\text{2}$) is described. A neat synthesis of the alkaloids (±)-lunacrine ($\text{1a}$), (±)-lunasine ($\text{12a}$) and (±)-demethoxylunacrine ($\text{1b}$) is also reported.     

1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinones as synthetic intermediates. A novel total synthesis of (±)-ibogamine and (±)-epiibogamine

A new synthesis of (±)-ibogamine ($\text{4}$) and (±)-epiibogamine ($\text{5}$), involving the intramolecular Michael addition of the keto unsaturated ester ($\text{11}$), is described.     

Reaction of chloromethylcarbene with trimethylsilyl enol ethers. Synthesis of eucarvone, (±)-nuciferal and (±)-manicone.

New synthesis of Eucarvone $\text{7}$, (±)-Nuciferal $\text{12}$ and (±)-Manicone $\text{16}$ are described from trimethylsilyl enol ethers $\text{2}$, $\text{10}$ and $\text{14}$ via their chloromethylenation products by means of a two carbons homologation reaction.     

Generation and reactivity of bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)germanium(II)

The title intermediate ($\text{3a}$) is produced on photolysis of hexakis(2,6-diethyl-phenyl)cyclotrigermane ($\text{1}$) or bis(2,6-diethylphenyl)bis(trimethylsilyl)germane ($\text{4}$) as evidenced by trapping experiments, and thermally dimerizes to tetrakis(2,6-diethyl-phenyl)digermene ($\text{2a}$). Diarylgermylenes such as $\text{3a}$ do not form stable triethylamine adducts (e.g. $\text{5a}$) as has been previously reported.     

Hindered amines. General synthesis of α-(tert-butylamino)-isobutyramides

α-($\text{tert}$-Butylamino)-isobutyramides ($\text{1}$) can be prepared from α-haloisobutyramides ($\text{2}$) and $\text{tert}$-butylamine with sodium hydroxide in Favorskii-like reactions.     

1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinones as synthetic intermediates. Total synthesis of (±)-tecomanine

The first and stereoselective total synthesis of (±)-tecomanine ($\text{1}$) has been achieved from ethyl 1,6-dihydro-3(2H)-pyridinone-1-carboxylate ($\text{2}$) as a synthon.     

The synthesis of a cationic ylide complex of platinum(II) by the reaction of tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)platinum(O) with choloroiodomethane.

The reaction of Pt(PPh₃)₄ with CH₂Cl1 in benzene yields the cationic ylide complex $\text{cis}$-[Pt(PPh₃)₂(CH₂PPh₃)Cl]I in high yield. This complex has been converted to $\text{cis}$-[(PPh₃)₂(CH₂PPh₃)X]X (X  Br or I) by reaction with LiBr or NaI. Reaction of $\text{cis}$-[Pt(PPH₃)I]I with iodine yields $\text{cis}$-[Pt(PPh₃)₂(CH₂PPh₃)I]I₃. Nmr data are given in support of the suggested structures.     

An organocopper mediated synthesis of (E)-1,4-di-tert-butylbutatriene.

In the paper a highly stereoselestive route to $\text{trans}$-1,4-di-tert-butylbutatriene $\text{via}$-$\text{t}$-BuCu induced 1,3-substitution in ($\text{Z}$)-$\text{t}$-BuCHC(Br)CCH is described.     

A new approach to (±)-apovincamine

(±)-Apovincamine ($\text{2}$) is synthesized by dehydration of the β-hydroxyrster ($\text{7}$) obtained by alkylation of the aldehyde ($\text{6}$) with metal chloroacetate     

Total syntheses of (±)-isoagatholactone and (±)-12α-hydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien

(±)-Isoagatholactone $\text{1}$ and (±)-12α-hydroxyspongia-13(16),14-dien $\text{2b}$, a fundamental skeleton of spongiadiol $\text{2a}$ and its congeners, have been synthesized from (±)-labda-8(20),13-dien-15-oic acid $\text{3}$.     

Stereoselective total syntheses of (±)-warburganal and (±)-isotadeonal

A short, stereoselective synthesis of (±)-warburganal ($\text{1}$), its C-9 epimer ($\text{2}$) and the related sesquiterpene dialdehyde (±)-isotadeonal is presented.     

Pheromone XXXVII. Eine stereospezifische synthese der komponenten des sexualpheromons von antherea polyphemus, (E)-6,(Z)-11-hexadecadienylacetat und (E)-6,(Z)-11-hexadecadienal.

Starting from the aldehydes $\text{2}$ and $\text{9}$ the acetylene $\text{16}$ is prepared via the borane $\text{15}$ by means of a combined Wittig reaction-hydroboration reaction sequence. $\text{16}$ may be converted into the (E)-6,(Z)-11-hexadecadienylacetate ($\text{18}$) and the corresponding aldehyde $\text{19}$. The synthetic route proceeds with high stereospecifity (isomeric purity of $\text{18}$ and $\text{19}$ ? 97%).     

Bis-thallium(I) porphyrin complexes

Treatment of octaethylporphyrin ($\text{1}$) or tetraphenylporphyrin ($\text{2}$) with more than two equiv of thallium(I) ethoxide gives the corresponding stable bis[thallium(I)] porphyrin complexes ($\text{5}$) and ($\text{6}$), respectively; these thallium(I) porphyrins are shown to have very different chemical and spectroscopic properties than do the corresponding thallium(III) porphyrin complexes.     

Total synthesis of (±)-Lycodine

(±)-Lycodine ($\text{1}$) has been synthesized in five steps from cyanoenone $\text{4}$. The approach has also been applied to a new synthesis of (±)-lycopodine ($\text{2}$). Both alkaloids are available in better than 20% overall yield from enone $\text{4}$.     

The interaction of an osmium-carbon triple bond with copper(I), silver(I) and gold(I) to give mixed dimetallocyclopropene species and the structures of Os(AgCl) (CR) Cl(CO) (PPh3)2

The osmium carbyne complex, Os(CR)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂, (R  p-tolyl) reacts with Group I halides to form the mixed dimetallocyclopropene species, $\text{Os(Cul)(C}$R)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂, $\text{Os(AgCl)(C}$R)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂, $\text{Os(AuCl)(C}$R)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂, and [$\text{Os[Ag(OClO}{}_3\text{)](C}$R)Cl(CO)(MeCN)(PPh₃)₂] ClO₄ X-ray crystal structure determination of $\text{Os(AgCl)(C}$R)Cl(CO)(PPh₃)₂ confirms the presence of a three-membered ring and the structure can be viewed as the “acetylene-like” interaction of an osmium—carbon triple bond with AgCl. In acid solution AgCl is precipitated and an alkylidene complex results from proton addition to the carbyne ligand.     

The indenobenzazepine-spirobenzylisoquinoline rearrangement; stereocontrolled syntheses of (±)-raddeanine and (±)-yenhusomine

Stereoselective rearrangement of indenobenzazepine cis ketols $\text{2}$ and $\text{5}$ with TPAA in pyridine produces spirobenzylisoquinolines $\text{3}$ and $\text{6}$, respectively. The latter product is also obtained by rearrangement of trans ketol $\text{7}$. The transformation of ketols $\text{5}$ and $\text{7}$ must, therefore, proceed through the intermediacy of aziridinium cation $\text{9}$. A similar process obtains in the transformation of $\text{2}$ to $\text{3}$. NaBH₄ reduction of $\text{3}$ gives (±)-raddeanine ($\text{4}$). Rearrangement of diol $\text{10}$ supplies $\text{4}$ directly. (±)-Yenhusomine ($\text{13}$) is obtained from the reamangement of either diol, $\text{11}$ or $\text{12}$. In like fashion, diols $\text{14}$ and $\text{15}$ supply spirobenzylisoquinoline $\text{17}$.     

Furans in Synthesis. The Preparation of (±)-Lactaral

The Functionalized Grignard reagent $\text{13}$ reacts with allylic chloride $\text{14}$, in the presence of Li₂CuCl₄, to provide lactarol-THP ether $\text{15a}$ which is subsequently converted to (±)-lactaral $\text{5}$ in 72% overall yield from $\text{13}$.     

Backbone rearrangements of methyl (-)-kaur-9(11)-en-19-oate and its epoxide: structures of two diterpenes of a new skeletal type

cleavage of the epoxide ($\text{2}$) of methyl (-)-kaur-9(11)-en-19-oate ($\text{1b}$) with boron trifluoride-ether in benzene and in acetic anhydride yielded ($\text{3a}$) and ($\text{3b}$), respectively. On epoxidation with $\text{m}$-chloroperbenzoic acid in the presence of $\text{N}$-nitrosomethyl urea, ($\text{1b}$) suffered a backbone rearrangement to form ($\text{6}$).     

Stereoselective total syntheses of (±)-sinularene and of (±)-5-epi-sinularene via intramolecular type-I-“magnesium-ene” reaction

(±)-Sinularene ($\text{1}$) as well as (±)-5-epi-sinularene ($\text{9}$) were synthesised in a stereocontrolled manner from the norbornene $\text{2}$ in overall yields of 4% and 8%, respectively. The key step $\text{5}$ → $\text{6}$ involves a regio- and stereoselective intramolecular “magnesium-ene” reaction.