Total Syntheses of the Chlorinated β‐Carboline Alkaloids Bauerine A,B, and C

The first total synthesis of the chlorinated 1‐oxo‐β‐carboline alkaloid bauerine C based on a Japp–Klingemann reaction is reported. An intermediate of this synthesis was converted to the fully aromatic β‐carboline bauerine B, and the related alkaloid bauerine A was prepared in an analogous manner.     

Total synthesis of the neotropical poison-frog alkaloid (-)-205B

[reaction: see text]. A stereocontrolled total synthesis of the neotropical poison-frog alkaloid (-)-205B (1) has been achieved, employing a dithiane three-component linchpin coupling, a one-pot sequential construction of the embedded indolizidine ring, and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to arrive at the novel 8b-azaacenaphthylene ring system comprising the alkaloid. The synthesis proceeded with a longest linear sequence of 19 steps, affording (-)-1 in 5.6% overall yield.     

Synthesis of the putative structure of fistulosin using the ruthenium-catalyzed cycloisomerization of diene

Fistulosin 1, which was isolated from the root of the Welsh onion, is a novel indole alkaloid that has antifungal activity. The first total synthesis of the reported structure of fistulosin using our cycloisomerization of diene is described.     

Total synthesis of the Securinega alkaloid (-)-secu'amamine A

The first enantioselective total synthesis of the rearranged Securinega alkaloid (-)-secu'amamine A is reported starting from D-proline as the source of absolute chirality. The synthesis requires 15 steps starting from D-proline-derived N-trityl aldehyde 11 and proceeds in approximately 9% overall yield. Key steps include a stereoselective conjugate addition of pyrrolidino enedione 19 to afford indolizidine 24 as the major product and cyclization/lactonization of diketoester 25 to produce tetracycle 26. In addition, 1H NMR NOE studies and X-ray analysis on the synthetic alkaloid have established that the indolizidine moiety is trans-fused.     

Organocatalytic enantioselective formal synthesis of bromopyrrole alkaloids via aza-Michael addition

An unprecedented organocatalytic enantioselective formal synthesis of bromopyrrole alkaloid natural products is reported. An organocatalytic aza-Michael addition using pyrroles as the N-centered nucleophile is utilized as the enantioselective step to construct the nitrogen-substituted stereogenic carbon center in bromopyrrole alkaloids in good yield and excellent enantioselectivity. The aza-Michael product is converted via lactamization using a Staudinger-type reductive cyclization to the key intermediate, which was previously used in the total synthesis of bromopyrrole alkaloid natural products.     

‘One-Pot’ Synthesis of Raumacline from Ajmaline

For the alkaloid raumacline ( 2 ), which is a biotransformation product of ajmaline ( 1 ) in Rauwolfia serpentina cell cultures, an efficient ‘one-pot’ synthesis was developed using a NaBH₄/riboflavin/light-mediated transformation of 1 into 2 with a total yield of 86%.     

An approach towards the total synthesis of (+)-epiquinamide and (+)-α-conhydrine from Garner aldehyde

A short and stereoselective route for the synthesis of 1-hydroxyquinolizidine, an advanced synthetic intermediate for the total synthesis of (+)-epiquinamide is presented. The key synthetic steps involve diastereoselective nucleophilic addition on l-serine derived Garner aldehyde and acid mediated (PTSA) ring closing metathesis. The methodology is also elaborated successfully for the total synthesis of (+)-α-conhydrine, an important piperidine alkaloid.     

First total synthesis of ent-gelsedine via a novel iodide-promoted allene N-acyliminium ion cyclization

The first total synthesis of the oxindole alkaloid gelsedine (1) starting from (S)-malic acid is described. The key step is a novel iodide-promoted intramolecular reaction of an allene with an N-acyliminium ion intermediate which provided in a single step the bicyclic vinyl iodide 11. Other important steps are the highly stereoselective Pd-catalyzed Heck cyclization of N-methylanilide 23a which led to the desired spiro-oxindole 24a, the fully regioselective intramolecular oxymercuration of 25a to the desired cyclic ether, and the remarkable oxindole N-demethylation of 29 via a radical mechanism by using dibenzoyl peroxide. The total synthesis was concluded by the stereoselective introduction of the ethyl group from the bis-Boc compound 41 followed by methoxylation of the oxindole nitrogen. This total synthesis leads to the unnatural (+)-enantiomer of gelsedine in 21 steps and 0.10% overall yield.     

First total synthesis of the 7,3'-linked naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid ancistrocladidine

[structure: see text] The first total synthesis of the rare 7,3'-linked naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid, ancistrocladidine, has been completed. The key feature of the synthesis is the formation of the extremely hindered biaryl linkage by Pinhey-Barton ortho-arylation of a naphthol with an aryllead triacetate. The biaryl aldehyde formed is elaborated in 10 steps to form a 1:1 mixture of ancistrocladidine and its atropisomer. Recrystallization of the mixture afforded ancistrocladidine, which was identical in all respects to the reported data.     

A general synthesis of N-hydroxyindoles

A general method for the formation of N-hydroxyindoles is demonstrated through a lead-promoted intramolecular reductive cyclization of o-nitrobenzyl ketones and aldehydes under transfer hydrogenation conditions. The N-hydroxyindoles are isolated in high purity and excellent yield (>90%) in an operationally simple procedure. This new method is exemplified by a two-step synthesis of the naturally occurring 1-methoxyindole-3-carboxaldehyde, which is pivotal in many alkaloid total syntheses.     

Total synthesis and antidepressant activities of laetispicine and its derivatives

The first total synthesis of laetispicine (1a), an amide alkaloid isolated from the stems of Piper laetispicum C.DC (Piperaceae), and the synthesis of some of its derivatives were described. Based on the evaluation of antidepressant activities in the forced swimming test, compounds 1h and 1i were identified as potent and safe antidepressant lead compounds.     

Synthesis of A Natural Cytotoxic Alkaloid Artabotrine and its Analogue

Artabotrine 1 (Figure 1) was isolated from Artabotrys zeylanicus Hook.f. & Thoms., an endemic mainly in Sri Lanka1. The spectral data and single crystal X-ray analysis indicated that artabotrine is a novel and comparatively rare alkaloid characterized with N-methoxylated 4,5-dioxoaporphine, since most of the reported 4,5-dioxoaporphines are N-methylated or no substituted2-11. This highly oxidized aporphine alkaloid was found to possess notable inhibitory activity on P-388 leukemia cell lin…     

Enantioselective organocatalytic formal [3 + 3]-cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes and application to the asymmetric synthesis of (-)-isopulegol hydrate and (-)-cubebaol

[reaction: see text] The first highly enantioselective organocatalyzed carbo [3 + 3] cascade cycloaddition of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes is reported. Using this methodology, crotonaldehyde is converted to 6-hydroxy-4-methylcyclohex-1-enecarbaldehyde, which is used in the synthesis of (-)-isopulegol hydrate, (-)-cubebaol, and p-tolualdehyde as well as (-)-6-hydroxy-4-methyl-1-cyclohexene-1-methanol acetate, an intermediate in the total synthesis of lycopodium alkaloid magellanine. Other alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes give rise to chiral cyclohexadienes via formal [4 + 2] reactions.     

Two new tryptamine-derived alkaloids from Chimonanthus praecox f. concolor

A new pyrrolidinoindoline-type alkaloid, CPC-1, and a new tryptamine-derived dimeric alkaloid, CPC-2, were isolated from the seeds and rinds of Chimonanthus praecox f. concolor. The structure including the absolute configuration of CPC-1 was determined by chiral total synthesis. CPC-2 has a unique hexahydropyrroloquinoline skeleton.     

Total synthesis of (+)-asperazine

The first total synthesis of the structurally novel cyclotryptophan alkaloid asperazine is reported. The central step in the synthetic sequence is a diastereoselective intramolecular Heck reaction in which the substituent controlling stereoselection is external to the ring being formed. This synthesis confirmed the structure of (+)-asperazine (1) proposed by Crews and co-workers and provided material for additional biological studies. The in vitro cytotoxicity originally reported for the marine isolate was not confirmed with synthetic (+)-asperazine.     

Asymmetric total synthesis of batzelladine D

[formula: see text] The first enantioselective total synthesis of a batzelladine alkaloid is described. The central reaction in the synthesis of (-)-batzelladine D (2) is a tethered Biginelli condensation of a guanidine aldehyde and an acetoacetic ester to generate a 7-substituted-1-iminohexahydropyrrolo-[1,2-c]pyrimidine intermediate having the anti stereochemistry of the methine hydrogens flanking the pyrrolidine nitrogen.     

Revisiting a classic approach to the Aspidosperma alkaloids: an intramolecular Schmidt reaction mediated synthesis of (+)-aspidospermidine

[reaction: see text] A total synthesis of (+)-aspidospermidine (1) is described. The key reactions used in the synthesis of this pentacyclic Aspidosperma alkaloid were a deracemizing imine alkylation/Robinson annulation sequence, a selective "redox ketalization", and an intramolecular Schmidt reaction. A Fischer indolization step carried out on a tricyclic ketone mirrored the sequence reported by Stork and Dolfini in their classic aspidospermine synthesis.     

A formal total synthesis of geneserine

The key oxindole intermediate (2) which has recently been used in a total synthesis of the alkaloid geneserine, has been prepared by a short, efficient route utilising a radical cyclisation.     

Biomimetic total synthesis of (-)-isatisine A

The biomimetic total synthesis of (-)-isatisine A, a novel alkaloid with an unprecedented fused tetracyclic skeleton, was accomplished in 8 steps from indole and 4,6-O-isopropylidene-protected glucal. The synthesis features a convergent synthetic strategy which relies on nucleophilic addition and a biomimetic benzilic ester rearrangement as key reactions.     

Total synthesis of anachelin H

[structure: see text] The first total synthesis of anachelin H is reported. Starting from L-Ser, a stereodivergent synthesis of the polyketide fragment resulting in all possible diastereoisomers is described. The alkaloid peptide fragment is prepared via a tellurium-mediated oxidative aza annulation as the key step. Coupling of the fragments gave synthetic anachelin H, which was found to be identical to a sample of the natural product, thus confirming the configuration by total synthesis.