The 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of Strychnos alkaloids revisited at the DFT level

The density functional theory calculation of ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts in a series of ten 10 classically known Strychnos alkaloids with a strychnine skeleton was performed at the PBE0/pcSseg-2//pcseg-2 level. It was found that calculated ¹H and ¹³C NMR chemical shifts provided a markedly good correlation with experiment characterized by a mean absolute error of 0.08 ppm in the range of 7 ppm for protons and 1.67 ppm in the range of 150 ppm for carbons, so that a mean absolute percentage error was as small as ~1% in both cases.     

Total synthesis of (−)-radicamine B

The synthesis of a chiral cyclic nitrone with l-arabino configuration and its application in the total synthesis of radicamine B is reported. An agreement in the spectral data with natural radicamine B but specific rotation with an opposite sign warranted a revision of the absolute configuration of radicamine B.     

Concise asymmetric synthesis of (−)-halosaline and (2R,9aR)-(+)-2-hydroxy-quinolizidine by ruthenium-catalyzed ring-rearrangement metathesis

A ruthenium-catalyzed ring opening-ring closing metathesis reaction serves as the key step in the stereoselective synthesis of a new enantiopure 2-substituted-4,5-dehydropiperidine skeleton, a valuable intermediate for the synthesis of piperidine alkaloids (such as (−)-halosaline) and of hydroxylated quinolizidines (such as (2R,9aR)-(+)-2-hydroxy-quinolizidine).     

A new convenient synthesis of phenanthrene alkaloids from 1-arylmethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines

Hofmann degradation of 1-arylmethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2,2-dimethylisoquinolinium iodides with methanolic KOH gave stilbene derivatives, for example, (E)-N-2{2-[2-(phenyl)ethenyl]-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl}ethyl-N,N-dimethylamine. Photochemical electrocyclization of these stilbenes afforded the corresponding phenanthrene alkaloids/phenanthrene derivatives.     

Methods for the construction of [1,2]isoindolo-condensed benzazepines, benzazocines, quinolines, and isoquinolines. 2. Isoindoloquinolines, isoindoloisoquinolines. (Review)

Data for 1966–2004 on methods for the construction of tetracyclic systems in which an isoindole ring is condensed with quinoline and isoquinoline fragments on the [1,2] side are reviewed. Methods and conditions for the synthesis of isoindoloquinolines and isoindoloisoquinolines are examined. Examples of the synthesis of physiologically active natural alkaloids possessing the structure of these condensed isoindoles are presented. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1123–1157, August, 2006.     

Stereoselective Synthesis of Piperamide Alkaloids by Modified Ramberg-Bcklund Reaction

A convenient and rapid approach for the synthesis of piperamide alkaloids la ~ h by the recently developed one-flask Ramberg-Backlund reaction was described. The synthesis of 1e was reported for the first time.     

Alkaloids from stems of Ervatamia yunnanensis

Six indole alkaloids were isolated from the stems of Ervatamia yunnanensis. Among them, yunnanensine (I) is new. The other five are known alkaloids, namely: 19,20-E-vallesamine (II), 19s-heyneanine (HI), ibogaine (IV), ibogamine (V), coronaridine (VI). The structural elucidation of the alkaloids was based on spectral means.     

New approaches to enantioselective fluorination: Cinchona alkaloids combinations and chiral ligands/metal complexes

The selective construction of carbon-fluorine bonds is of great interest to medicinal chemists because the replacement of a hydrogen or an oxygen atom with a fluorine atom in biologically active molecules can confer the molecules with improved physicochemical properties and biological activities. Since the first discovery of enantioselective fluorination using N-fluorocamphorsultam, our synthetic interest had been focused on the development of chiral N-fluorosulfonamide derivatives capable of enantioselective fluorination. However, these initial efforts revealed several limitations in both chemical yields and enantioselectivities of the fluorinated products. We present here the background of our personal story of the enantioselective fluorination reaction and some successful applications of the methods to the design and synthesis of biologically active products. Two novel approaches using cinchona alkaloid/Selectfluor^® combinations and chiral ligands/metal complexes have been pursued, respectively. In addition, the recent advances in this area by other groups are also described briefly.