Approaches to avermectin assembly: Synthesis of the spiroketal system

A chiral synthesis of the spiroketal moiety of avermectin A2b has been accomplished in 14 steps from (3S(R), 4R(S))-3, 5-dimethyl-1-hexen-4-ol.     

Double reductive cyclization: a facile synthesis of the indoloquinoline alkaloid cryptotackieine

A new synthesis of the indoloquinoline alkaloid cryptotackieine, isolated from Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, is described which involves a Perkin reaction, a tandem double reduction-double cyclization reaction followed by regioselective methylation at the quinoline nitrogen.     

Recent developments in the synthesis of zoanthamine alkaloids

This review provides a compilation of the most recent synthetic approaches and total syntheses of zoanthamine alkaloids, which are structurally unique heptacyclic marine natural products that display a range of interesting biological activities. This review is focused on synthetic methodologies for the construction of the three adjacent quaternary asymmetric carbon atoms on the cyclohexane ring (C-ring) of these compounds. The literature covered in this review dates from 2008 to the end of 2013.     

Thiol-mediated radical cyclization: regioselective formation of indole-annulated sulfur heterocycles by tandem cyclization

Indole-2-yl-prop-2-ynyl sulfides, under thiophenol-mediated alkenyl radical cyclization conditions, afforded exclusively 4-thiophenyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydrothiopyrano[2,3-b]indoles or 3-thiophenylmethyl-2,3,8-trihydrothieno[2,3-b]indoles depending on the substituent at the indole nitrogen.     

Hydroamination of olefin in a special conjugated spiroketal enol ether system, diastereoselective synthesis of amino-containing tonghaosu analogs

Lithium amide reacted with spiroketal enol ether characterized tonghaosu analog at −78 °C to give the only hydroamination product 4 in a highly regio- and diastereoselective manner. At a higher temperature, −40 °C, the presence of free amine was critical for the hydroamination to take place; otherwise, rearrangement of tonghaosu analog to 2,3-dihydrofuran derivative like 6 was the only reaction.     

Rapid access to the Welwitindolinone alkaloid skeleton by cyclization of indolecarboxaldehyde substituted cyclohexanones

[reaction: see text] A very rapid access to cyclohexanone-bridged indole systems was established by an acid-mediated ring closure of appropriately substituted indole aldehydes, which involved an apparent disproportionation of an aldol-like intermediate. One of the bridged indole intermediates was further transformed into an oxindole having the essential skeleton of the Welwitindolinone alkaloids.     

Synthesis of the zoanthamine ABC ring system: some surprises from intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions

[reaction: see text] In connection with the total synthesis of the marine alkaloids zoanthamine and norzoanthamine, an elaborate model study was conducted starting from (-)-carvone. In nine steps alkenyl iodides corresponding to the C11-C24 fragment of zoanthamine were obtained. The alkenyl iodides were coupled to various stannanes (C6-C10 fragment) via the Corey modification of the Stille reaction, affording a variety of Diels-Alder precursors. An interesting and highly unexpected cascade reaction sequence was observed during the screening of an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, generating a novel tetracyclic framework. A slight modification in the Diels-Alder precursor allowed the desired cycloaddition to take place, giving the cycloadduct in 87% yield.     

A short diastereoselective synthesis of the putative alkaloid jamtine,using a tandem pummerer/mannich cyclization sequence

Treatment of 2-phenylhex-5-enal with benzylamine followed by sequential reaction with ethylthioacetyl chloride and sodium periodate oxidation afforded a E/Z mixture of alpha-sulfinylamides. As anticipated from a 4pi-conrotatory mechanism, cyclization of each olefin afforded fused isoquinoline lactams as single diastereomers epimeric at the ethylthio position without any cross contamination. Some preliminary studies were directed toward the synthesis of mesembrine using a 3,4-dimethoxy aryl group. In this case, the Z-enamide prefers to undergo electrophilic aromatic substitution to give a substituted azepinone as the preferred product in 87% yield. In contrast, the E-enamide isomer provided the desired hydroindolone. The convergency and stereochemical control associated with the tandem Pummerer /Mannich cyclization make it particularly suited for the assembly of jamtine, a tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid reputed for its therapeutic properties. The key step in the synthesis involves a domino thionium/N-acyliminium ion cyclization to provide the tricyclic ring skeleton 27a as the major diastereomer. Deprotonation of 27a with NaH gave 28a, which contains the fully assembled skeleton of jamtine. Completion of the synthesis entailed installation of the double bond and reduction of the lactam. Oxidation of a synthetic sample of jamtine with MCPBA afforded the corresponding N-oxide, which does not match the spectral data reported in the literature for this alkaloid. Our synthetic efforts raise the possibility of a revision of the earlier assignment.     

Consecutive carbon-carbon bond formation approach in tandem cyclization reactions

The conventional tandem cyclization reactions involve the formation of alternating carbon-carbon bonds, whereas the newly developed cyclization reactions involve the formation of consecutive carbon-carbon bonds, in which N-aziridinylimines have been utilized as geminal radical acceptor and donor equivalents in a single operation. This unprecedented tandem cyclization approach becomes feasible by the successful generation of 5- and 6-membered ring radicals by radical cyclizations of N-aziridinylimines. The same notion can be applied to the anionic cyclizations of N-aziridinylimines, thereby allowing anionic consecutive carbon-carbon bond formation. This approach has great synthetic potential, particularly for the construction of quaternary carbon centers, and it provides highly efficient routes for the synthesis of natural products.     

Total synthesis of the strychnos alkaloid (+)-minfiensine: tandem enantioselective intramolecular Heck-iminium ion cyclization

A 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9a,4a-(iminoethano)-9H-carbazole (4) is a central structural feature of the Strychnos alkaloid minfiensine (1) and akuammiline alkaloids such as vincorine (5) and echitamine (6). A cascade catalytic asymmetric Heck-iminium cyclization was developed that rapidly provides 3,4-dihydro-9a,4a-(iminoethano)-9H-carbazoles in high enantiomeric purity. Two sequences were developed for advancing 3,4-dihydro-9a,4a-(iminoethano)-9H-carbazole 27 to (+)-minfiensine. In our first-generation approach, a reductive Heck cyclization was employed to form the fifth ring of (+)-minfiensine. In a second more concise total synthesis, an intramolecular palladium-catalyzed ketone enolate vinyl iodide coupling was employed to construct the final ring of (+)-minfiensine. This second-generation total synthesis of enantiopure (+)-minfiensine was accomplished in 6.5% overall yield and 15 steps from 1,2-cyclohexanedione and anisidine 13. A distinctive feature of this sequence is the use of palladium-catalyzed reactions to form all carbon-carbon bonds in the transformation of these simple precursors to (+)-minfiensine.     

Sequential catalytic asymmetric Heck-iminium ion cyclization: enantioselective total synthesis of the Strychnos alkaloid minfiensine

A catalytic asymmetric method for the chemical synthesis of alkaloids containing the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9a,4a-(iminoethano)-9H-carbazole (1) moiety is reported and verified by the enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-minfiensine (4). The central step in this total synthesis is the sequential catalytic asymmetric Heck-N-acyliminium ion cyclization of dienyl carbamate triflate 10, prepared in six steps from 1,2-cyclohexanedione, to give enantiopure 3,4-dihydro-9a,4a-(iminoethano)-9H-carbazole (12) in 75% yield. Iminoethano-9H-carbazole 12 is transformed in six steps to dienyl iodide 17, which undergoes diastereoselective intramolecular Heck cyclization to form pentacyclic intermediate 18. In eight additional steps, this latter intermediate is transformed to (+)-minfiensine (4).     

Intramolecular cyclization of tert-butyldiphenylallylsilane units and carbonyl groups: allylsilane terminated cyclization versus the ene reaction.

tert-Butyldiphenylsilylcopper reacts with allene to give an allylsilane-vinylcopper intermediate which upon treatment with alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones leads to allylsilane containing ketones resulting from conjugate addition. These oxoallylsilanes bearing the bulky tert-butyldiphenylsilyl group undergo highly selective intramolecular cyclizations when treated with Lewis acid affording unsaturated cyclopentanols. Two reactivity patterns are observed: allylsilane terminated cyclization involving elimination of silicon or an ene reaction without losing the silyl group. The pathway depends on the ability of a hydrogen beta to the carbonyl to be removed in an ene-type process. Alpha,beta-unsaturated acid chlorides lead to silylated cyclopentenones.     

Total synthesis of dendrobate alkaloid (+)-241D, isosolenopsin and isosolenopsin A: application of a gold-catalyzed cyclization

A new approach to total syntheses of piperidine alkaloids (+)-241D, isosolenopsin and isosolenopsin A has been developed from D-alanine. The key step to access the chiral pyridinone intermediate was achieved via a gold mediated cyclization. Finally, various reduction conditions afforded the natural products in few steps and good overall yields.     

Preparation of pilot library with tetrahydro-β-carboline alkaloid core skeleton using tandem intramolecular Pictet-Spengler cyclization

A solid phase strategy has been developed for the synthesis of tetrahydro-β-carboline alkaloid library. The key transformation is an acid-catalyzed tandem intramolecular Pictet-Spengler cyclization from l-tryptophan which forms acyl iminiums with synchronous cleavage of products from the acid-labile SASRIN™ solid support. A pilot library with two diversity points has been successfully synthesized in high purity to demonstrate this strategy.     

Five vs six membered ring formation in the vinyl radical cyclization

The ratio of methylenecyclopentane to methylenecyclohexane derivatives observed in the vinyl radical cyclization increases with the concentration of substrate and tin hydride. This is interpreted to mean that these cyclizations are under thermodynamic control at low concentrations.     

Growth versus cyclization in the early stages of the polycondensation of metal alkoxides

The early steps of the polycondensation of transition metal alkoxide have been studied from the chemical and structural points of view. Polyoxoalkoxides are described like macromolecules by the composition of the repeating unit, the degree of polymerization (N), and the radius of gyration (R). The fraction p of binding sites of the coordination sphere of the metal centers occupied by terminal ligands determines N as follows: N proportional, variant pdf (dA-df), where df is the fractal dimension and dA is defined by Np proportional, variant RdA. This approach addresses difficulties raised by both coordinative unsaturation and cyclization in the modelization of the polycondensation of metal alkoxides. The coordinative unsaturation is accounted for by a particularly small value of dA= 1 in the very early steps, while the cyclization frequency is measured by the difference dA-df. This difference is not constant along the polycondensation process, and its dependence on the extent of reaction provides clues for understanding the high apparent kinetics order of gelation often reported in the literature.