Unified Synthesis of Polycyclic Alkaloids by Complementary Carbonyl Activation*

A complementary dual carbonyl activation strategy for the synthesis of polycyclic alkaloids has been developed. Successful applications include the synthesis of tetracyclic alkaloids harmalanine and harmalacinine, pentacyclic indoloquinolizidine alkaloid nortetoyobyrine, and octacyclic β-carboline alkaloid peganumine A. The latter synthesis features a protecting-group-free assembly and an asymmetric disulfonimide-catalyzed cyclization. Furthermore, formal syntheses of hirsutine, deplancheine, 10-desbromoarborescidine A, and oxindole alkaloids rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline have been achieved. Finally, a concise synthesis of berberine alkaloid ilicifoline B was completed.

Towards the Shell Biorefinery: Sustainable Synthesis of the Anticancer Alkaloid Proximicin A from Chitin

A shell biorefinery would involve fractionation of crustacean shells and incorporation of the components into value-added products, particularly those that contain nitrogen. In a proof-of-concept study that validates this concept, the anticancer alkaloid proximicin A has been synthesized from the chitin-derived platform chemical 3-acetamido-5-acetylfuran (3A5AF). This study accentuates the leading role chitin is likely to play in the sustainable production of nitrogen-containing fine chemicals that are not directly attainable from lignocellulose.

Backbone Phosphonamide-Functionalized Imidazol-2-ylidene Complexes

The synthesis of M(CO)5 complexes bearing 4-phosphonamide and 4,5-bis(phosphonamide)-imidazol-2-ylidene ligands (NHCP = phosphonamide-based N-heterocyclic carbene) is reported. Deprotonation of respective imidazolium hydrogensulfate salts with potassium tert-butoxide (KOtBu) in the presence of [M(CO)5(CH3CN)] afforded complexes with the formula [M(CO)5(NHCP)]. In a similar fashion, reaction of in situ generated NHCP with [Rh(cod)Cl]2 (cod = 1,5-cyclooctadiene) afforded a complex with the formula [Rh(cod)Cl(NHCP)]. Low-temperature deprotonation of the imidazolium NHCP·H2SO4 with potassium hexamethyldisilazide (KHMDS) in the presence of [AuCl(SMe2)] furnished the corresponding AuI NHC complex. All complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic and spectrometric methods. In addition, further structural confirmation is provided by key single-crystal X-ray structure determinations for three of the new complexes.