Structure,Biosynthesis, and Occurrence of Bacterial Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are widespread plant natural products with potent toxicity and bioactivity. Herein, the identification of bacterial PAs from entomopathogenic bacteria using differential analysis by 2D NMR spectroscopy (DANS) and mass spectrometry is described. Their biosynthesis was elucidated to involve a non‐ribosomal peptide synthetase. The occurrence of these biosynthesis gene clusters in Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria indicates an important biological function in bacteria.     

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Kopsia Indole Alkaloids

The asymmetric total syntheses of a group of structurally complex Kopsia alkaloids, (−)‐kopsine, (−)‐isokopsine, (+)‐methyl chanofruticosinate, (−)‐fruticosine, and (−)‐kopsanone, has been achieved. The key strategies for the construction of the molecular complexity in the targets included an asymmetric Tsuji–Trost rearrangement to set the first quaternary carbon center at C20, an intramolecular cyclopropanation by diazo decomposition to install the second and third quaternary carbon centers at C2 and C7, respectively, and a SmI₂‐promoted acyloin condensation to assemble the isokopsine core. A radical decarboxylation of an isokopsine‐type intermediate results in a thermodynamic partial rearrangement to give N‐decarbomethoxyisokopsine and N‐decarbomethoxykopsine, two key intermediates for the syntheses of Kopsia alkaloids with different subtype core structures.     

A Concise Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (−)‐Virosaine A

The total synthesis of (−)‐virosaine A ( 1 ) was achieved in ten steps starting from furan and 2‐bromoacrolein. A one‐pot Diels–Alder cycloaddition/organolithium addition initiated an efficient sequence to access a key oxime/epoxide intermediate. Heating this intermediate in acetic acid resulted in an intramolecular epoxide opening/nitrone [3+2] cycloaddition cascade to construct the caged core of 1 in a single step. Several methods of C−H functionalization were assessed on the cascade product, and ultimately, a directed lithiation/bromination effected selective C14 functionalization, enabling the synthesis of 1 .     

Asymmetric Total Syntheses of Communesin F and a Putative Member of the Communesin Family

Here we report asymmetric total syntheses of communesin F and a putative member of the communesin family of bis‐aminal alkaloid natural products. The successful strategy featured the invention of an asymmetric organocatalytic reaction to unify two oxindole subunits, a Ti(OⁱPr)₄‐mediated dehydrative skeletal rearrangement, and a late‐stage Pd(OAc)₂‐catalyzed directed CH‐alkenylation reaction. Collectively, the synthetic technologies disclosed herein enabled the preparation of a late‐stage polycyclic intermediate catered for the synthesis of both naturally occurring and designed communesins. More importantly, speculated and yet to be discovered member(s) of the communesin family can now be accessed to facilitate a better understanding of the communesin biosynthetic network.