Synthesis of Aristotelia-Type Alkaloids. Part VIBiomimetic Synthesis of (+)-Aristofruticosine

(S)-Perilla alcohol ( 5 ) was transformed into (S)-7-(phenylthio)-p-menth-1-en-8-amine ( 11 ) in five steps. Condensation of this building block with 1-(4-methoxyphenylsulfonyl)-1H-indole-3-acetaldehyde ( 12 ) led to the expected imine 15 which cyclized in 54% yield to protected 20-(phenylthio)hobartine 16 upon exposure to anh. HCOOH. Treatment of this intermediate with an alkylating reagent led to (+)-aristofruticosine protected in the indole moiety via an intramolecular, allylic nucleophilic displacement reaction. Subsequent reductive removal of the protecting group completed the first synthesis of the Aristotelia alkaloid (+)-aristofruticosine ((+)- 4 ). This straightforward synthesis confirmed the tentative structure (+)- 4 , proposed by Bick and Hai, and established the hitherto unknown absolute configuration of this metabolite.