Structure reinvestigation of gelsemoxonine,a constituent of Gelsemium elegans,reveals a novel,azetidine-containing indole alkaloid

[structure: see text] The structure of gelsemoxonine, isolated from Gelsemium elegans Benth., was revised to be a novel oxindole alkaloid having an azetidine unit. A new alkaloid, 14,15-dihydroxygelsenicine, which was presumed to be a biosynthetic precursor of gelsemoxonine, was also isolated.     

Dependence of the Reactivities of Titanium Enolates on How They Are Generated: Diastereoselective Coupling of Phenylacetic Acid Esters Using Titanium Tetrachloride

Oxidative coupling of phenylacetic acid esters was easily achieved by treating the esters with TiCl(4) and then adding Et(3)N to the resulting solution. The products consisted of dl- and meso-2,3-diphenylsuccinic acid esters with the Claisen condensation product, and the ratio of these products depended on the reaction conditions. Reaction conditions suitable for high dl selectivity were determined, and a dimer of titanium enolate was postulated as an intermediate responsible for the high dl selectivity. The selectivities were compared with those in known oxidative couplings in which titanium enolate intermediates are prepared through lithium enolates and silyl enol ethers. The results suggest that the reactivities of titanium enolates intermediates depend on how they are generated.     

A novel neolignan, mansoxetane, and two new sesquiterpenes, mansonones R and S, from Mansonia gagei

Three new compounds, mansoxetane; 4′-(3-hydroxy-1,2-oxetanyl)-2′,2-dihydroxy-4-(2-formyl-1-ethyl)-6′,6-dimethoxy biphenyl, and mansonones R and S, together with two previously reported coumarins, mansorins A and C, and four known mansonones, mansonones C, E, G and H, were obtained from the methanolic extract of the heartwood from Mansonia gagei Drumm. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods.     

Alkyl Ammonium Ion Selectivity of Hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene Triamide Derivative having the Intramolecular Hydrogen-Bonding Group

The lower rim functionalized hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene triamide 4 with cone-conformation was synthesized from triol 1 by a stepwise reaction. The different extractability for alkali metal ions, transition metal ions, and alkyl ammonium ions from water into dichloromethane is discussed. Due to the strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the neighboring NH and CO groups in triamide 4, its affinity to metal cations was weakened. Triamide 4 shows a single selectivity to n-BuNH ₃ ⁺ . The anion complexation of triamide 4 was also studied by ¹H NMR titration experiments. Triamide 4 binds halides through the intermolecular hydrogen bonding among the NH hydrogens of amide in a 1:1 fashion in CDCl₃. The association constants calculated from these changes in chemical shifts of the amide protons are K _a = 223 M^?1 for Cl^? and K _a = 71.7 M^?1 for Br^?. Triamide 4 shows a preference for Cl^? complexation than Br^? complexation.     

Synthesis and pharmacological activity of 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy-N-[(2S,4S)-1-ethyl-2-hydroxymethyl-4- pyrrolidinyl]benzamide (TKS159) and its optical isomers

Of 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy-N-(1-ethyl-2-hydroxymethyl-4- pyrrolidinyl)benzamide, four optical isomers, (2S,4S)-1 (TKS159), (2S,4R)-25, (2R,4S)-26 and (2R,4R)-27, were prepared from optically active 4-amino-1-ethyl-2-hydroxymethylpyrrolidine di-p-toluenesulfonate [(2S,4S)-14, (2S,4R)-17, (2R,4S)-20 and (2R,4R)-23, respectively]. The requisites, (2S,4S)-14, (2S,4R)-17, (2R,4S)-20 and (2R,4R)-23, were prepared from a commercially available trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline. The absolute configurations of (2S,4S)-1 (TKS159), (2S,4R)-25, (2R,4S)-26 and (2R,4R)-27 were spectroscopically determined. Of the benzamide derivatives, four optical isomers, (2S,4S)-1, (2S,4R)-25, (2R,4S)-26 and (2R,4R)-27, showed a relatively potent affinity for 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptors in a radioligand binding assay ([3H]GR113808). The activities of 25-27 were less effective than that of 1 for the gastric emptying of a phenol red semisolid meal in rats. All this suggests that the most potent of the isomers was 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy-N-[(2S,4S)-1-ethyl-2- hydroxymethyl-4-pyrrolidinyl]benzamide (1).     

Alkyl Ammonium Ion Selectivity of Hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene Triamide Derivative having the Intramolecular Hydrogen-Bonding Group

The lower rim functionalized hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene triamide 4 with cone-conformation was synthesized from triol 1 by a stepwise reaction. The different extractability for alkali metal ions, transition metal ions, and alkyl ammonium ions from water into dichloromethane is discussed. Due to the strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the neighboring NH and CO groups in triamide 4, its affinity to metal cations was weakened. Triamide 4 shows a single selectivity to n-BuNH₃⁺. The anion complexation of triamide 4 was also studied by ¹H NMR titration experiments. Triamide 4 binds halides through the intermolecular hydrogen bonding among the NH hydrogens of amide in a 1:1 fashion in CDCl₃. The association constants calculated from these changes in chemical shifts of the amide protons are K_a = 223 M⁻¹ for Cl⁻ and K_a = 71.7 M⁻¹ for Br⁻. Triamide 4 shows a preference for Cl⁻ complexation than Br⁻ complexation.     

Stereodivergent process for the synthesis of the decahydroquinoline type of dendrobatid alkaloids

A flexible and stereodivergent synthesis of the cis- and trans-fused 2,5-disubstituted octahydroquinolinone ring systems bearing all four stereogenic centers for the synthesis of the decahydroquinoline type of dendrobatid alkaloids has been achieved. The strategy involves stereoselective and stereodivergent construction of 2,3,6-trisubstituted piperidine ring systems using the Michael type of conjugate addition reaction to the enaminoesters 1 and 3, the intramolecular aldol type of cyclization reaction of keto aldehydes 11 and 12, and ring-closing metathesis of 21 as key steps.