Computational studies of cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed asymmetric Michael additions

Cinchona alkaloids exhibit remarkable catalytic activities in a wide range of organic transformations. This review summarizes the recent advances of computational studies in understanding the mechanism and origins of enantioselectivities in cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed asymmetric Michael additions. Key activation model and controlling factors of reactivity and selectivity are elucidated.     

Comprehensive identification and structural characterization of target components from Gelsemium elegans by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry based on accurate mass databases combined with MS/MS spectra

This study reports an applicable analytical strategy of comprehensive identification and structure characterization of target components from Gelsemium elegans by using high‐performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC‐QqTOF MS) based on the use of accurate mass databases combined with MS/MS spectra. The databases created included accurate masses and elemental compositions of 204 components from Gelsemium and their structural data. The accurate MS and MS/MS spectra were acquired through data‐dependent auto MS/MS mode followed by an extraction of the potential compounds from the LC‐QqTOF MS raw data of the sample. The same was matched using the databases to search for targeted components in the sample. The structures for detected components were tentatively characterized by manually interpreting the accurate MS/MS spectra for the first time. A total of 57 components have been successfully detected and structurally characterized from the crude extracts of G. elegans , but has failed to differentiate some isomers. This analytical strategy is generic and efficient, avoids isolation and purification procedures, enables a comprehensive structure characterization of target components of Gelsemium and would be widely applicable for complicated mixtures that are derived from Gelsemium preparations. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three new C_(19)-diterpenoid alkaloids from Delphinium laxicymosum var. pilostachyum

Three new lycoctonine-type C19-diterpenoid alkaloids, laxicymine 1, laxicymisine 2, and laxicyminine 3 have been isolated from the whole herb of Delphinium laxicymosum var. pilostachyum W.T. Wang. Their structures were established by spectra data.     

Three new sulfur-containing alkaloids, polycarpaurines A, B, and C, from an Indonesian ascidian Polycarpa aurata

Three new sulfur-containing alkaloids, polycarpaurines A (1), B (2), and C (3) were isolated from the tropical ascidian Polycarpa aurata collected in Indonesia, together with six known compounds (4-9). The structures of new compounds were assigned on the basis of their spectral data. Compounds 1, 3, 4, and 8 inhibited colony formation of Chinese hamster V79 cells with EC₅₀ values of 6.8, 8.6, 3.8, and 10 μM, respectively. Compounds 2 and 7 showed modest activity against V79 cells (EC₅₀>10 μM).     

Metal‐Free Activation of a C(sp)−H Bond of Aryl Acetylenes

C(sp)?H Bond activation of acetylene molecule still remains a challenge for synthetic organic chemists. In practice, acetylenes are activated by strong bases and metals. The first example for activating acetylenic protons under base and metal‐free conditions is reported here. It involves a general method for synthesizing propargylic derivatives of cotarnine. An array of tetrahydroisoquinolines alkaloids was synthesized by C(sp)?H bond activation of aromatic acetylenes with cotarnine at room temperature. A DFT‐based mechanism is proposed for the reaction.     

Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular γ-lactam formation of an aryl halide and an enolate: synthesis of isoindolobenzazepine alkaloids, lennoxamine, 13-deoxychilenine, and chilenine

A facile synthetic path to isoindolobenzazepine alkaloids, lennoxamine, 13-deoxychilenine, and chilenine, was established by employing a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular α-arylation of the ketone, as the key step.     

用于烯烃二羟化反应的一种经济，高效且可重复使用的催化体系

以价廉的3,6-二氯哒嗪和奎宁为原料,通过两步反应即可得到一种可重复使用的金鸡纳生物碱衍生物配体。以NMO为辅助氧化剂在丙酮－水体系中，将此配体用于七种烯烃的不对称二羟化反应。反应结束后，用乙醚将产品从催化体系中萃取出来，得到80%~93%的产率和51%~99%的对映体过量值。以反式－二苯乙烯为底物进行催化体系的重复使用试验。循环使用十次，得到88%~92%的产率和>99%的对映体过量值。     

NaIO_4-Catalyzed Bromination of the Aromatic Ring of Lappaconitine

Lappaconitine 1, a bisnorditerpenoid alkaloid, was isolated from many plants of Aconitum species such as A. barbatum var. pulerulum and A. sinomontanum (Ranunculaceae)1-3, and used clinically for treatment of analgic disease as a nonaddicted drug in China4, and as an antiarrythmic in Uzbekistan5. In order to search for high activity, low toxicity compounds, we have carried out the structure modifications of lappaconitine. In this case, an attempt to induce the oxygenated group at C-10 in 1 b…     

Kinetic resolution of d,l-1,2-diols catalyzed by amine-phosphinite bifunctional organocatalysis derived from quinidine

Racemic C₂-symmetric 1,2-diols were kinetically resolved by the acylation reaction catalyzed by the phosphinite derivative of quinidine to afford the corresponding monoacylated product with good to high enantioselectivities.     

Structure of Sevedinine

The new steroidal alkaloid sevedinine was isolated from the aerial part of Korolkovia severtzovii. The structure of sevedinine wasestablished as 6,12-dihydroxy-5-cevanin-3-one using spectral data, chemical transformations, and an x-ray structure analysis. The location of the tertiary hydroxyl in ten cevine alkaloids from Korolkovia severtzovii was corrected based on the results.