Himeradine A,a novel C27N3-type alkaloid from Lycopodium chinense

A novel C(27)N(3)-type Lycopodium alkaloid consisting of a fastigiatine-type skeleton (C(16)N(2)) and a quinolizidine moiety (C(11)N), himeradine A (1), has been isolated from the club moss Lycopodium chinense, and the structure and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.     

Lycoperine A, A novel C27N3-type pentacyclic alkaloid from Lycopodium hamiltonii, inhibiting acetylcholinesterase

[structure: see text] A novel C(27)N(3)-type pentacyclic Lycopodium alkaloid, lycoperine A (1) consisting of two octahydroquinoline rings and a piperidine ring, was isolated from the club moss Lycopodium hamiltonii. The structure and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR data and chemical transformation. Lycoperine A (1) exhibited an inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase.     

Sieboldine A, a novel tetracyclic alkaloid from Lycopodium sieboldii, inhibiting acetylcholinesterase

[structure: see text] A novel Lycopodium alkaloid with an unprecedented fused-tetracyclic ring system consisting of an aza-cyclononane ring having a N-hydroxy group, a cyclohexanone, a cyclopentanone, and a tetrahydrofuran ring, sieboldine A (1), was isolated from the club moss Lycopodium sieboldii. The structure and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR data and X-ray analysis. Sieboldine A (1) exhibited a potent inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and modest cytotoxicity.     

The Lycopodium alkaloids

Lycopodium alkaloids are quinolizine, or pyridine and alpha-pyridone type alkaloids. Some Lycopodium alkaloids are potent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Huperzine A (HupA) is reported to increase efficiency for learning and memory in animals, and it shows promise in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). 201 Lycopodium alkaloids from 54 species of Lycopodium (sensu lato) have been reported so far. This review is intended to to cover the chemical, pharmacological and clinical research on Lycopodium alkaloids reported in the literature from the spring of 1993 to August 2004. Structures of 81 new Lycopodium alkaloids are presented, classified and analyzed. The structural characters and biogenetic relationships of the four major Lycopodium alkaloid groups (lycopodine, lycodine, fawcettimine and miscellaneous) are discussed. Bioactivities of Lycopodium alkaloids, especially HupA, are summarized. In particular, the effect of HupA and other cholinesterase inhibitors (anti-AD drugs) on acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity in the rat cortex and butylcholine esterase activity are compared. Structure-activity relationships and structure modifications of HupA and its analogs are described. Information on clinical trials with HupA and its derivative ZT-1 is presented. The state of HupA availability and recent advances in in vitro propagation of HupA producing plants are outlined. Finally, hypotheses about Lycopodium alkaloid biosynthetic pathways are discussed.     

A New Alkaloid from Lycopodium japonicum Thunb.

A new alkaloid, miyoshianine C ( 1 ), was isolated from the whole plants of Lycopodium japonicum Thunb. , together with the known four compounds α‐obscurine ( 2 ), lycodoline ( 3 ), miyoshianine A ( 4 ), and lucidioline ( 5 ). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of in‐depth spectroscopic analysis.     

Japonicumins A–D: Four New Compounds from Lycopodium japonicum

Three new serratane‐type triterpenoids, japonicumins A–C ( 1 – 3 ), as well as a unique, new C₁₃ terpenoid, japonicumin D ( 4 ), were isolated from the dried whole plants of Lycopodium japonicum, together with the known compound lycoclavanol ( 5 ). Their structures were identified by extensive mass‐spectrometric and spectroscopic (especially 2D‐NMR) experiments. Compounds 1 – 5 exhibited no activity against human‐tumor A 549 cells.     

Tandem oxidative dearomatization/intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction for construction of the tricyclic core of palhinine A

A concise construction of the 6/6/5 tricyclic core of Lycopodium alkaloid palhinine A (1) has been accomplished. The developed synthetic strategy featured a tandem oxidative dearomatization/intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction to construct C/D rings and an intramolecular 5-exo-trig radical cyclization to install the B ring of palhinine A (1). The developed approach paves the way for the total synthesis of palhinine A (1).     

A biomimetic transformation of serratinine into serratezomine A through a modified Polonovski reaction

Application of a modified Polonovski reaction for serratinine (1) resulted in generation of serratezomine A (2) with a novel seco-serratinine-type skeleton recently isolated from the club moss Lycopodium serratum var. serratum. This biomimetic transformation supports a biogenetic pathway proposed for serratezomine A (2). The absolute stereochemistry of serratezomine A (2) was established by an induced exciton chirality and modified Mosher methods.     

石杉碱O的结构鉴定

蛇足石杉[Huperziaserrata(Thunb.)Trev.]中,R~f与石杉碱甲相近部位分离得到一个新生物碱,经IR,MS,1D和2DNMR确定了其化学结构,为一个有内氢键烯醇型新的lycopodine类生物碱,命名为石杉碱O(HuperzineO)。     

Nankakurine A, a novel C16N2-type alkaloid from Lycopodium hamiltonii

[sstructure: see text] A novel, fused-tetracyclic Lycopodium alkaloid, nankakurine A (1), consisting of a cyclohexane ring and a 3-aza-bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane ring connected to a piperidine ring through a spiro carbon, was isolated from the club moss Lycopodium hamiltonii. The structure and relative stereochemistry were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.     

Enantioselective total syntheses of nankakurines A and B: confirmation of structure and establishment of absolute configuration

Total syntheses of (+)-nankakurine A (2) and (+)-nankakurine B (3) were accomplished by a sequence that employs an intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition of an azomethine imine intermediate to form the azatricyclic moiety and establish the relative configuration of the spiropiperidine ring. These syntheses, together with the synthesis of the originally purported structure 1 of nankakurine A, rigorously establish the relative and absolute configuration of these structurally unusual Lycopodium alkaloids. The syntheses are sufficiently concise that gram quantities of (+)-nankakurine A (2) and (+)-nankakurine B (3) will be available for further biological studies.     

Structural studies of LNA:RNA duplexes by NMR: conformations and implications for RNase H activity

We have used NMR and CD spectroscopy to study the conformations of modified oligonucleotides (locked nucleic acid, LNA) containing a conformationally restricted nucleotide (T(L)) with a 2'-O,4'-C-methylene bridge. We have investigated two LNA:RNA duplexes, d(CTGAT(L)ATGC):r(GCAUAUCAG) and d(CT(L)GAT(L)AT(L)GC):r(GCAUAUCAG), along with the unmodified DNA:RNA reference duplex. Increases in the melting temperatures of +9.6 degrees C and +8.1 degrees C per modification relative to the unmodified duplex were observed for these two LNA:RNA sequences. The three duplexes all adopt right-handed helix conformations and form normal Watson-Crick base pairs with all the bases in the anti conformation. Sugar conformations were determined from measurements of scalar coupling constants in the sugar rings and distance information derived from 1H-1H NOE measurements; all the sugars in the RNA strands of the three duplexes adopt an N-type conformation (A-type structure), whereas the sugars in the DNA strands change from an equilibrium between S- and N-type conformations in the unmodified duplex towards more of the N-type conformation when modified nucleotides are introduced. The presence of three modified T(L) nucleotides induces drastic conformational shifts of the remaining unmodified nucleotides of the DNA strand, changing all the sugar conformations except those of the terminal sugars to the N type. The CD spectra of the three duplexes confirm the structural changes described above. On the basis of the results reported herein, we suggest that the observed conformational changes can be used to tune LNA:RNA duplexes into substrates for RNase H: Partly modified LNA:RNA duplexes may adopt a duplex structure between the standard A and B types, thereby making the RNA strand amenable to RNase H-mediated degradation.     

LNA (locked nucleic acid) and analogs as triplex-forming oligonucleotides

The triplex-forming abilities of some conformationally restricted nucleotide analogs are disclosed and compared herein. 2'-Amino-LNA monomers proved to be less stabilising to triplexes than LNA monomers when incorporated into a triplex-forming third strand. N2'-functionalisation of 2'-amino-LNA monomers with a glycyl unit induced the formation of exceptionally stable triplexes. Nucleotide analogs containing a C2',C3'-oxymethylene linker (E-type furanose conformation) or a C2',C4'-propylene linker (N-type furanose conformation) had no significant effect on triplex stability proving that conformational restriction per se is insufficient to stabilise triplexes.     

Theoretical study on the characterization of the ribosyl C4'-radical observed in irradiated crystals of uridine

The angular dependence of the β-hydrogens hyperfine splitting (hfs) constants of the 1′amino 2′-deoxyribosyl C4′-radical (1) has been computed at the B3LYP/6-311G**//UHF/6-31G** level for the S-type (C2′endo ring puckering) and N-type (C3′endo ring puckering) configurations. Good agreement between the theoretical hfs constants and the three large experimental β-hydrogen hfs constants of the radical species observed in irradiated single crystals of uridine has been found only for the N-type configuration with the β5′-oxygen in the staggered conformation. It is concluded that the observed radical species is the uridine C4′-radical (2) that adopts the C3′ endo ring puckering as found in single crystals of uridine by means of neutron diffraction. This conclusion is in contrast with that reached in a previous theoretical study.     

Total syntheses of Lycopodium alkaloids (+)-fawcettimine, (+)-fawcettidine, and (-)-8-deoxyserratinine

A shared story: Three fawcettimine- and serratinine-type Lycopodium alkaloids are prepared from a common tetracyclic spirodiketone intermediate in concise total syntheses. The intermediate was constructed by a remarkable biosynthesis-inspired transannular N-C bond formation to the spiro-configured carbon center and a hydroxy-directed pinacol coupling promoted by SmI(2).     

Ten new fawcettimine-related alkaloids from three species of Lycopodium

Ten new fawcettimine-related alkaloids, i.e., lycopoclavamines, lycoposquarrosamine-A, and other hydroxylated fawcettimine derivatives, were isolated from three species of Lycopodium (Lycopodium clavatum, Lycopodium serratum, and Lycopodium squarrosum). The structures of the new alkaloids were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and chemical correlation.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-luciduline: toward a general approach to related Lycopodium alkaloids

As part of a research program directed toward the synthesis of Lycopodium alkaloids, a multigram scale asymmetric synthesis of intermediate 11 was achieved in 11 steps from pyridine (17). In addition to our alkene metathesis strategy, a key feature of this synthetic approach consists of a Fukuyama's Diels-Alder cycloaddition between 1,2-dihydropyridine and acrolein using MacMillan's catalyst (18) on a 50 g scale. This led to a 12-step catalytic asymmetric synthesis of (+)-luciduline (1). A broader subset of Lycopodium alkaloids could also be obtained, as demonstrated by the derivatization of 11 into advanced intermediates for the synthesis of some of these natural products.     

Parallel DNA double helices incorporating isoG or m5isoC bases studied by FTIR, CD and molecular modeling

FTIR spectroscopy has been used to follow the formation of parallel stranded DNA duplexes incorporating isoG or m5isoC bases and determine their base pairing scheme. The results are discussed in comparison with data concerning anti-parallel duplexes with comparable base composition and sequence. In duplexes containing A-T and isoG-C or m5isoC-G base pairs shifts of the thymine C2=O2 and C4=O4 carbonyl stretching vibrations (to lower and higher wavenumbers, respectively, when compared to their positions in classical cis Watson-Crick (WC) base pairs) reflect the formation of trans Watson-Crick A-T base pairs. All carbonyl groups of cytosines, m5isocytosines, guanines and isoguanines are found to be involved in hydrogen bonds, indicative of the formation of isoG-C and m5isoC-G base pairs with three hydrogen bonds. Molecular modeling shows that both structures form regular right handed helices with C2'endo sugar puckers. The role of the water content on the helical conformation of the parallel duplexes has been studied by FTIR and CD. It is found that a conformational transition similar to the B --> A transition observed for anti-parallel duplexes induced by a decrease of the water content of the samples can occur for these parallel duplexes. Their helical flexibility has been evidenced by FTIR studies on hydrated films by the emergence of absorption bands characteristic of A type geometry, in particular by an S-type --> N-type repuckering of the deoxyribose. All sugars in the parallel duplex with alternating d(isoG-A)/d(C-T) sequence can adopt an N-type geometry in low water content conditions. The conformational transition of the parallel hairpin duplex with alternating d(isoG-A)/d(C-T) sequence was followed by circular dichroism in water/trifluoroethanol solutions and its free energy at 0 degrees C was estimated to be 6.6 +/- 0.3 kcal mol(-1).     

Two New Lycopodium Alkaloids from Lycopodium obscurum

Two new Lycopodium alkaloids, (+)‐cermizine D N‐oxide ( 1 ) and (8β)‐8‐(acetyloxy)obscurumine A ( 2 ), along with five known compounds, were isolated from the crude alkaloid portion of Lycopodium obscurum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical correlation. All of these alkaloids were tested in an assay for acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibitory activity.     

Crystal structure of Diels-Alder cycloadduct formed from 1-(1,2,3-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-2-(4-methylphenyl)-2H-isoindole and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate.

The structure of the Diels-Alder cycloadduct formed from 2-(1,2,3-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-2-(p-tolyl)-2H-isoindole and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate was proved as 11-aza-1-(1,2,3-1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-11-(4-methylphenyl)-tricyclo-[5.2.1.0(2.7)]undeca-2,4,6.9-tetraene-9,10-dioic acid dimethyl ester. The benzotriazole moiety was located as its 1-yl form, analogous to previous reports. The benzotriazole and the benzene (of tricyclo framework) planes were twisted with an angle of 115.83 degrees. Intramolecular close contacts between benzotriazole and ester are characteristic [N(3)...C(26), 2.754(3)A; N(3)...H(22), 3.26(4)A]. The shortest contact of N(3)...H(22) accounting for the rotation of the methyl group is estimated to be 3.10 A, which might be reasonable as C-H...N-type hydrogen bonding.