Enantioselective syntheses of 2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidines based on iridium-catalyzed allylic aminations--total syntheses of alkaloids from amphibian skins

A broadly applicable route to trans‐2,5‐disubstituted pyrrolidines has been developed. Key steps are an asymmetric iridium‐catalyzed allylic amination, a Suzuki–Miyaura coupling, and an intramolecular aza‐Michael addition. Enantiomeric excesses in the range of 93–99 % ee have been achieved. Total syntheses of the alkaloids (?)‐ 225 C , (+)‐ and (?)‐ 223 H (xenovenine), (+)‐ 223 AB , (+)‐ 195 B , and (+)‐ 223 R have been carried out as applications.     

A convenient synthesis of new enantiomerically pure trihydroxypyrrolizidines using l-erythrose glycosylhydroxylamine as a masked acyclic chiral nitrone

A route has been developed for the synthesis of enantiomerically pure trihydroxylated pyrrolizidines starting from l-erythrose glycosylhydroxylamine. The latter acts as a masked acyclic nitrone and reacts diastereoselectively from its Re-face with methyl acrylate to give the corresponding isoxazolidines, which after reductive N-O cleavage are recyclized to trihydroxypyrrolizidines via a Mitsunobu condensation.     

Structure‐Guided Minimalist Redesign of the L‐Fuculose‐1‐Phosphate Aldolase Active Site: Expedient Synthesis of Novel Polyhydroxylated Pyrrolizidines and their Inhibitory Properties Against Glycosidases and Intestinal Disaccharidases

A minimalist active site redesign of the L ‐fuculose‐1‐phosphate aldolase from E. coli FucA was envisaged, to extend its tolerance towards bulky and conformationally restricted N‐Cbz‐amino aldehyde acceptor substrates (Cbz=benzyloxycarbonyl). Various mutants at the active site of the FucA wild type were obtained and screened with seven sterically demanding N‐Cbz‐amino aldehydes including N‐Cbz‐prolinal derivatives. FucA F131A showed an aldol activity of 62 μmol h^?1 mg^?1 with (R)‐N‐Cbz‐prolinal, whereas no detectable activity was observed with the FucA wild type. For the other substrates, the F131A mutant gave aldol activities from 4 to about 25 times higher than those observed with the FucA wild type. With regard to the stereochemistry of the reactions, the (R)‐amino aldehydes gave exclusively the anti configured aldol adducts whereas their S counterparts gave variable ratios of anti/syn diastereoisomers. Interestingly, the F131A mutant was highly stereoselective both with (R)‐ and with (S)‐N‐Cbz‐prolinal, exclusively producing the anti and syn aldol adducts, respectively. Molecular models suggest that this improved activity towards bulky and more rigid substrates, such as N‐Cbz‐prolinal, could arise from a better fit of the substrate into the hydrophobic pocket created by the F131A mutation, due to an additional π–cation interaction with the residue K205′ and to efficient contact between the substrate and the mechanistically important Y113′ and Y209′ residues. An expedient synthesis of novel polyhydroxylated pyrrolizidines related to the hyacinthacine and alexine types was accomplished through aldol additions of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) to hydroxyprolinal derivatives with the hyperactive FucA F131A as catalyst. The iminocyclitols obtained were fully characterised and found to be moderate to weak inhibitors (relative to 1,4‐dideoxy‐1,4‐imino‐L ‐arabinitol (LAB) and 1,4‐dideoxy‐1,4‐imino‐D ‐arabinitol (DAB)) against glycosidases and rat intestinal saccharidases.     

3-Carboxylate-Substituted Isoindolinones in K2CO3-Catalyzed Michael Reactions

Activated 3-substituted isoindolinones have proved to be efficient nucleophiles in K₂CO₃-catalyzed Michael reactions of several types of electron-deficient olefins. Moreover, tricyclic pyrrolizidines have been conveniently synthesized via a modification of the described general protocol as a consequence of a cascade Michael/cyclization reaction of unsaturated aldehydes.     

Tandem Double‐Michael‐Addition/Cyclization/Acyl Migration of 1,4‐Dien‐3‐ones and Ethyl Isocyanoacetate: Stereoselective Synthesis of Pyrrolizidines

Up to four adjacent stereocenters can be formed stereoselectively in the construction of a pyrrolizidine unit through a novel organocatalytic reaction that involves treatment of various dienones with ethyl isocyanoacetate (see scheme; DBU=1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene). Mechanisms for this atom‐economic, one‐pot synthesis have been proposed.