a School of Chemistry, F11, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia b Department of Chemistry, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, 23 Symonds St., Auckland, New Zealand
Abstract:
The synthesis of several A and AE ring analogues of the alkaloid methyllycaconitine is reported. The key 2-(2″-methylsuccinimido)benzoate ester pharmacophore is introduced using an efficient two step procedure. Esterification of the alcohol precursors with N-(trifluoroacetyl)anthranilic acid under Steglich conditions followed by sodium borohydride mediated cleavage of the trifluoroacetyl group affords the anthranilate esters. Subsequent fusion with methylsuccinic anhydride affords the N-substituted anthranilate derivatives containing the key pharmacophore present in a range of commonly occurring Delphinium and Aconitum alkaloids.