| Abstract: | Stereoselective Synthesis von Pyrrolizidin Alkaloids from Nitroalkanones Reduction of 5-nitropentadecane-2,8-dione ( 11 ), synthesized by a Michael reaction from nitromethane, methyl vinyl ketone, and dec-1-en-3-one, gave, depending on the conditions, two epimeric 3-heptyl-2,3,5,6,7,7a-hexahydro-5-methyl-1H-pyrrolizines as the main products: Catalytic hydrogenation (Pd/C) afforded the expected 7aα-hydro epimer 1b with cis-orieted H-atoms at C(3), C(5), and C(7a). NaBH3CN/NH4OAc reduction of the nitrodione 11 yielded all four diastereoisomers with the 7aβ-hydro epimer 1a as the predominant component; 1a is a pheromone of the cryptic thief ant Solenopsis sp. The N-atom of the pyrrolizidine ring stems from NH4OAc exclusively as shown by reduction of 11 with NaBH3CN/(15N)H4OAc. |
