Reaction of Donor-Acceptor Cyclobutanes with Indoles: A General Protocol for the Formal Total Synthesis of (±)-Strychnine and the Total Synthesis of (±)-Akuammicine

Sulfur in Waste-Free Sustainable Synthesis: Advancing Carbon-Carbon Coupling Techniques

This review explores the pivotal role of sulfur in advancing sustainable carbon-carbon (C-C) coupling reactions. The unique electronic properties of sulfur, as a soft Lewis base with significant mesomeric effect make it an excellent candidate for initiating radical transformations, directing C-H-activation, and facilitating cycloaddition and C-S bond dissociation reactions. These attributes are crucial for developing waste-free methodologies in green chemistry. Our mini-review is focused on existing sulfur-directed C-C coupling techniques, emphasizing their sustainability and comparing state-of-the-art methods with traditional approaches. The review highlights the importance of this research in addressing current challenges in organic synthesis and catalysis. The innovative use of sulfur in photocatalytic, electrochemical and metal-catalyzed processes not only exemplifies significant advancements in the field but also opens new avenues for environmentally friendly chemical processes. By focusing on atom economy and waste minimization, the analysis provides broad appeal and potential for future developments in sustainable organic chemistry.

Development of a Strategy for the Total Synthesis of Aspidosperma Alkaloids via the Cyclobutenone-Based PET-Initiated Cationic Radical-Driven [2+2]/Retro-Mannich Reaction

A novel strategy for the synthesis of Aspidosperma alkaloids has been achieved via a photoredox-initiated [2+2]/retro-Mannich reaction of tryptamine-substituted enaminones as a key step. The developed chemistry has been applied to the construction of the core tetracycle of Aspidosperma alkaloids (±)-aspidospermidine and (±)-limaspermidine.

Diversity-Oriented Catalytic Asymmetric Dearomatization of Indoles with o-Quinone Diimides

Herein, the first diversity-oriented catalytic asymmetric dearomatization of indoles with o-quinone diimides (o-QDIs) is reported. The catalytic asymmetric dearomatization (CADA) of indoles is one of the research focuses in terms of the structural and biological importance of dearomatized indole derivatives. Although great achievements have been made in target-oriented CADA reactions, diversity-oriented CADA reactions are regarded as more challenging and remain elusive due to the lack of synthons featuring multiple reaction sites and the difficulty in precise control of chemo-, regio-, and enantio-selectivity. In this work, o-QDIs are employed as a versatile building block, enabling the chemo-divergent dearomative arylation and [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of indoles. Under the catalysis of chiral phosphoric acid and mild conditions, various indolenines, furoindolines/pyrroloindolines, and six-membered-ring fused indolines are collectively prepared in good yields with excellent enantioselectivities. This diversity-oriented synthesis protocol enriches the o-quinone chemistry and offers new opportunities for CADA reactions.

Intermolecular Formal Cycloaddition of Indoles with Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes by Lewis Acid Catalysis

Herein, we develop a new approach to directly access architecturally complex polycyclic indolines from readily available indoles and bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) through formal cycloaddition promoted by commercially available Lewis acids. The reaction proceeded through a stepwise pathway involving a nucleophilic addition of indoles to BCBs followed by an intramolecular Mannich reaction to form rigid indoline-fused polycyclic structures, which resemble polycyclic indole alkaloids. This new reaction tolerated a wide range of indoles and BCBs, thereby allowing the one-step construction of various rigid indoline polycycles containing up to four contiguous quaternary carbon centers.

Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Intramolecular Heck Dearomative Annulation of Indoles with N-Tosylhydrazones

An elegant Pd(dba)2-catalyzed enantioselective Heck dearomative annulation of indoles and N-tosylhydrazones for the straightforward assembly of structurally diverse optically active indoline scaffolds containing the quaternary carbon centers at the C2 position has been developed. The tandem protocol, which utilized a Pd(dba)2/BINOL-based phosphoramidite ligand as the catalytic system, proceeded smoothly through successive oxidative addition, intramolecular carbon palladation, migratory insertion, and β-elimination sequences, leading to the chiral indoline derivatives in moderate to excellent yields, with excellent enantioselectivities and diastereoselectivities. In addition, the synthetic practicability of the catalytic system was underlined by a scaled-up experiment and the late-stage derivatization of the products, thus highlighting the potential applications in synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and material science.

A bridged backbone strategy enables collective synthesis of strychnan alkaloids

Bridged frameworks are of high chemical and biological significance, being ubiquitous in pharmaceutical molecules and natural products. Specific structures are usually preformed to build these rigid segments at the middle or late stage in the synthesis of polycyclic molecules, resulting in decreased synthetic efficiency and target-specific syntheses. As a logically distinct synthetic strategy, we constructed an allene/ketone-equipped morphan core at the outset through an enantioselective α-allenylation of ketones. Experimental and theoretical results revealed that the high reactivity and enantioselectivity of this reaction are attributed to the cooperative effects of the organocatalyst and metal catalyst. The bridged backbone generated was employed as a structural platform to guide and facilitate the assembly of up to five fusing rings, and the allene and ketone groups thereon were used to precisely install various functionalities at C16 and C20 at the late stage, leading to a concise, collective total synthesis of nine strychnan alkaloids.

Enantioselective Dearomatization of Indoles via SmI2-Mediated Intermolecular Reductive Coupling with Ketones

Samarium diiodide (SmI₂) mediated reductive coupling reactions are powerful methods for the construction of carbon-carbon bond in organic synthesis. Despite the extensive development in recent decades, successful examples of the corresponding asymmetric reactions remained scarce, probably due to the involvement of highly reactive radical intermediates. In this Article, we report an enantioselective dearomatization of indoles via SmI₂-mediated intermolecular reductive coupling with ketones. The utilization of samarium reductant supported by chiral tridentate aminodiol ligands allows the facile synthesis of indoline molecules bearing two contiguous stereogenic centers in high yields (up to 99%) and stereoselectivity (up to 99:1 er and >20:1 dr). Combined experimental and computational investigations suggested that parallel single-electron transfer to each substrate from the chiral samarium reductant allows the radical-radical recombination in an enantioselective manner, which is a unique mechanistic scenario in SmI₂-mediated reductive coupling reactions.

De Novo Biosynthesis of Vindoline and Catharanthine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Vinblastine has been used clinically as one of the most potent therapeutics for the treatment of several types of cancer. However, the traditional plant extraction method suffers from unreliable supply, low abundance, and extremely high cost. Here, we use synthetic biology approach to engineer Saccharomyces cerevisiae for de novo biosynthesis of vindoline and catharanthine, which can be coupled chemically or biologically to vinblastine. On the basis of a platform strain with sufficient supply of precursors and cofactors for biosynthesis, we reconstituted, debottlenecked, and optimized the biosynthetic pathways for the production of vindoline and catharanthine. The vindoline biosynthetic pathway represents one of the most complicated pathways ever reconstituted in microbial cell factories. Using shake flask fermentation, our engineered yeast strains were able to produce catharanthine and vindoline at a titer of 527.1 and 305.1 μg·liter-1, respectively, without accumulating detectable amount of pathway intermediates. This study establishes a representative example for the production of valuable plant natural products in yeast.

Organocatalyzed asymmetric dearomative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2-nitrobenzofurans and N-2,2,2-trifluoroethylisatin ketimines

A readily available chiral cyclohexanediamine-derived bifunctional tertiary amine-squaramide catalyst is more effective for the asymmetric dearomative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2-nitrobenzofurans and N-2,2,2-trifluoroethylisatin ketimines. A range of structurally diverse spiro-fused polyheterocyclic compounds containing oxindole, pyrrolidine, and hydrobenzofuran motifs were smoothly obtained in excellent results (up to 99% yield, >20:1 dr in all cases and up to 99% ee). This method features high efficiency, mild reaction conditions, exquisite asymmetric induction, wide functional group tolerance, great potential for scale-up synthesis, and attractive product diversification.

Pd-Catalyzed C-H Functionalization of Indole-Containing Alkene-Tethered Aryl Halides with Alkynes To Construct Indole Alkaloid Scaffolds

A convenient and straightforward approach for the construction of indole alkaloid scaffolds from indole-containing alkene-tethered aryl halides and alkynes through a sequential C-H activation, five-membered palladacycle formation, and alkyne insertion process has been described. The approach provides a series of indole alkaloid compounds in moderate to excellent yields with good functional tolerance.

Recent Advances in Total Synthesis of Strychnine (2017-2022)

Known for the complexity of its structure, strychnine remains to be one of the challenging targets of total synthesis. Generations of chemists have contributed to the total synthesis of strychnine since Woodward’s groundbreaking synthesis. Today, new strategies and tactics are still emerging for the optimization of the route of strychnine synthesis. In this review, I discuss the documents about strychnine synthesis in the past five years with the aim of demonstrating the trend of the strategy and tactics of total synthesis.

Radical-mediated alkene carboamination/dearomatization of arylsulfonyl-o-allylanilines via photoredox catalysis

A mild and redox-neutral protocol is developed for the synthesis of 1,4-cyclohexadiene-containing indoline-fused heterocycles via photoredox catalysis.

Asymmetric synthesis of polycyclic spiroindolines via the Dy-catalyzed cascade reaction of 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles with aziridines

An asymmetric cascade reaction catalyzed by a chiral N,N′-dioxide–Dy(iii) complex was realized to construct the valuable [6,5,5,6] tetracyclic spiroindolines with good yields and enantioselectivities by a concise and one-step protocol.

Diastereoselective Synthesis of Tetrahydrobenzo[b]azocines by Lu(OTf)3 Catalyzed [4 + 4] Cycloaddition of Donor–Acceptor Cyclobutanes with Anthranils

The construction of N-heterocyclic eight-membered rings remains a challenging due to unfavorable transannular strain. Herein, we report a Lu(OTf)3 catalyzed formal [4 +4] cycloaddition reaction of cyclobutane 1,1-diesters with anthranils...

Lewis acid-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition of donor–acceptor cyclobutanes with iminooxindoles: access to spiro[piperidine-3,2′-oxindoles]

A Lewis acid-catalyzed [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction from D–A cyclobutanes and iminooxindoles, providing the corresponding spiro[piperidine-3,2′-oxindoles] under mild conditions.

Catalytic Asymmetric Dearomative 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of 2-Nitrobenzothiophenes and Isatin-Derived Azomethine Ylides

An enantioselective dearomative 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 2-nitrobenzothiophenes and isatin-derived azomethine ylides with a bifunctional hydrogen-bonding thiourea catalyst was established, giving polyheterocyclic compounds in excellent results (up to 99% yield, >20:1 dr for all cases and up to 99% ee). The enantioselectivity could be reversed by the bifunctional hydrogen-bonding squaramide catalyst containing the same chiral source as in the thiourea catalyst. DFT calculations revealed the origin of the observed stereochemistry and the reversal of enantioselectivity.

Palladium-catalysed imidoylative spirocyclization of 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles

A palladium-catalysed construction of spiroindolines through dearomative spirocyclization of 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles has been developed. 2'-Aryl-, vinyl-, and alkyl-substituted spiroindolines could be accessed under mild conditions with excellent functional group tolerance. C1-tethered oxindole- and indole-spiroindoline bisheterocycles were generated in high yields via alkene/allene insertion and an imidoylative spirocyclization cascade. Additionally, a tandem dearomatization of two different indoles was realized with N-(2-bromobenzoyl)indoles as the electrophilic coupling partner of 3-(2-isocyanoethyl)indoles, affording polyindoline - spiroindoline bisheterocyclic scaffolds conveniently. Under the catalysis of Pd(OAc)₂ and a spinol-derived phosphoramidite ligand, chiral spiroindolines were successfully accessed with up to 95% yield and 85% ee.

Aspidosperma and Strychnos alkaloids: Chemistry and biology

Of Nature's nearly 3000 unique monoterpene indole alkaloids derived from tryptophan, those members belonging to the Aspidosperma and Strychnos families continue to impact the fields of natural products (i.e., isolation, structure determination, biosynthesis) and organic chemistry (i.e., chemical synthesis, methodology development) among others. This review covers the biological activity (Section 2), biosynthesis (Section 3), and synthesis of both classical and novel Aspidosperma (Section 4), Strychnos (Section 5), and selected bis-indole (Section 6) alkaloids. Technological advancements in genetic sequencing and bioinformatics have deepened our understanding of how Nature assembles these intriguing molecules. The proliferation of innovative synthetic strategies and tactics for the synthesis of the alkaloids covered in this review, which include contributions from over fifty research groups from around the world, are a testament to the creative power and technical skills of synthetic organic chemists. To be sure, Nature-the Supreme molecular architect and source of a dazzling array of irresistible chemical logic puzzles-continues to inspire scientists across multiple disciplines and will certainly continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Cascade Reaction of Tryptamine-Derived Isocyanides with Nitrile Oxides: Construction of Oxazine Fused-Spiroindoline Derivatives

A one-step cascade reaction of tryptamine-derived isocyanides with in situ generated nitrile oxides for the synthesis of fused spiroindolines was described. The desired products could be efficiently synthesized in moderate to good yields (42-87%). The protocol features mild conditions, wide substrate scope, and high efficiency.

Cycloadditions of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes and -butanes using S=N-Containing Reagents: Access to Cyclic Sulfinamides, Sulfonamides, and Sulfinamidines

We present (3+2)‐ and (4+2)‐cycloadditions of donor–acceptor (D–A) cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes with N‐sulfinylamines and a sulfur diimide, along with a one‐pot, two‐step strategy for the formal insertion of HNSO₂ into D–A cyclopropanes. These are rare examples of cycloadditions with D–A cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes whereby the 2π component consists of two different heteroatoms, thus leading to five‐ and six‐membered rings containing adjacent heteroatoms.

Friedel-Crafts-Type Reactions with Electrochemically Generated Electrophiles from Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes and -Butanes

We describe a general electrochemical method to functionalize donor-acceptor (D-A) cyclopropanes and -butanes with arenes utilizing Friedel-Crafts-type reactivity. The catalyst-free strategy relies on the direct anodic oxidation of the strained carbocycles, which leads after C(sp³)-C(sp³) cleavage to radical cations that act as electrophiles for the arylation reaction. Broad reaction scopes in regard to cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes, and aromatic reaction partners are presented. Additionally, a plausible electrolysis mechanism is proposed.

Electrocatalytic Activation of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes and Cyclobutanes: An Alternative C(sp3 )-C(sp3 ) Cleavage Mode

We describe the first electrochemical activation of D-A cyclopropanes and D-A cyclobutanes leading after C(sp3 )-C(sp3 ) cleavage to the formation of highly reactive radical cations. This concept is utilized to formally insert molecular oxygen after direct or DDQ-assisted anodic oxidation of the strained carbocycles, delivering β- and γ-hydroxy ketones and 1,2-dioxanes electrocatalytically. Furthermore, insights into the mechanism of the oxidative process, obtained experimentally and by additional quantum-chemical calculations are presented. The synthetic potential of the reaction products is demonstrated by diverse derivatizations.

An Asymmetric Synthesis of (+)-Isostrychnine Based on Catalytic Asymmetric Tandem Double Michael Addition

Herein, a concise asymmetric synthesis of (+)-isostrychnine is achieved in nine longest-linear steps with a 16% overall yield. The key features of this synthesis include the catalytic asymmetric tandem double Michael addition of a tryptamine-derived oxindole to an alkynone to facilely forge the A/B/C ring framework, a one-pot intramolecular dehydrative condensation/lactamization reaction to efficiently establish the E/G ring system, and an allylic diazene rearrangement to introduce the pivotal olefin for the subsequent intramolecular Heck reaction.

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of spirocyclobutyl oxindoles and beyond via [2+2] cycloaddition and sequential transformations

Efficient asymmetric synthesis of a collection of small molecules with structural diversity is highly important to drug discovery. Herein, three distinct types of chiral cyclic compounds were accessible by enantioselective catalysis and sequential transformations. Highly regio- and enantioselective [2+2] cycloaddition of (E)-alkenyloxindoles with the internal C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond of N-allenamides was achieved with N,N'-dioxide/Ni(OTf)₂ as the catalyst. Various optically active spirocyclobutyl oxindole derivatives were obtained under mild conditions. Moreover, formal [4+2] cycloaddition products occurring at the terminal C[double bond, length as m-dash]C bond of N-allenamides, dihydropyran-fused indoles, were afforded by a stereospecific sequential transformation with the assistance of a catalytic amount of Cu(OTf)₂. In contrast, performing the conversion under air led to the formation of γ-lactones via the water-involved deprotection and rearrangement process. Experimental studies and DFT calculations were performed to probe the reaction mechanism.

Further Developments and Applications of Oxazoline-Containing Ligands in Asymmetric Catalysis

The chiral oxazoline motif is present in many ligands that have been extensively applied in a series of important metal-catalyzed enantioselective reactions. This Review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the most significant applications of oxazoline-containing ligands reported in the literature starting from 2009 until the end of 2018. The ligands are classified not by the reaction to which their metal complexes have been applied but by the nature of the denticity, chirality, and donor atoms involved. As a result, the continued development of ligand architectural design from mono(oxazolines), to bis(oxazolines), to tris(oxazolines) and tetra(oxazolines) and variations thereof can be more easily monitored by the reader. In addition, the key transition states of selected asymmetric transformations will be given to illustrate the features that give rise to high levels of asymmetric induction. As a further aid to the reader, we summarize the majority of schemes with representative examples that highlight the variation in % yields and % ees for carefully selected substrates. This Review should be of particular interest to the experts in the field but also serve as a useful starting point to new researchers in this area. It is hoped that this Review will stimulate both the development/design of new ligands and their applications in novel metal-catalyzed asymmetric transformations.

Electro-Oxidative Coupling Reactions Leading to π-Conjugated Compounds

Electrochemical reactions are rapidly gaining attention today as a powerful and environmentally benign reaction processes for organic synthesis. We found that the electro-oxidation of palladium acetate afforded cationic palladium species and thus-generated cationic Pd species were efficient mediators for electro-oxidative coupling reactions. Homo-coupling of arylboronic acids and terminal alkynes proceeded efficiently to afford biaryls and butadiyne, respectively. Cross-coupling reactions between terminal alkynes and arylboronic acids were also achieved with the use of a Ag anode. As an advantage of electrochemical reactions, we developed a sequential reaction system switched between oxidative and neutral conditions by the on/off application of electricity, and several π-extended butadiynes were obtained in one-sequence by the system. Electrochemical intramolecular C-S coupling for the synthesis of thienoacene was also developed. The use of Bu₄ NBr as a halogen mediator was essential for the reaction.

Synthesis of Polycyclic Fused Indoline Scaffolds through a Substrate-Guided Reactivity Switch

Zn(II)-catalyzed divergent synthesis of functionalized polycyclic indolines through formal [3 + 2] and [4 + 2] cycloadditions of indoles with 1,2-diaza-1,3-dienes (DDs) is reported. The nature and type of substituents of substrates are found to act as a chemical switch to trigger two distinct reaction pathways and to obtain two different types of products upon the influence of the same catalyst. The mechanism of both [4 + 2] and [3 + 2] cycloadditions was investigated and fully rationalized by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Multicomponent, Tandem 1,3- and 1,4-Bisarylation of Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes and Cyclobutanes with Electron-Rich Arenes and Hypervalent Arylbismuth Reagents

A tandem catalytic process for 1,3- and 1,4-bisarylation of donor-acceptor (D-A) cyclopropanes and cyclobutanes is disclosed. This strategy capitalizes on the use of two distinct sources of nucleophilic and electrophilic arylating agents, affording the formation of two new C-C bonds in an orchestrated multicomponent fashion with the aid of a catalytic Lewis acid. Mechanistic investigations have revealed it to be a stereoselective process, and products could be easily elaborated into other useful compounds.

New Synthetic Routes to (+)-Uleine and (-)-Tubifolidine: General Approach to 2-Azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane Indole Alkaloids

Novel asymmetric synthetic routes to (+)-uleine and (-)-tubifolidine are reported herein. The regioselective formation of enol triflates from 2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane ketones followed by indolizations of the resultant ene-hydrazides allowed the efficient construction of key indole intermediates, facilitating the total synthesis of the target natural alkaloids.

Synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indoles via a tandem reaction

A wide array of 2,3-disubstituted indoles were accessed in modest to good yields via a tandem reduction/condensation/fragmentation/cyclization sequence. Differential fragmentation made the reaction more complicated.

General and efficient synthesis of 1,2-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-b]indol-3-ones via a formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition initiated by C–H activation

A [Cp*RhCl₂]₂-catalyzed formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition involving a sequential coupling reaction initiated by C–H activation and aza-Michael addition has been developed for the general and efficient synthesis of 1,2-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-b]indol-3-ones.

Recent progress in the total synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids

The recent synthetic approaches toward Strychnos alkaloids are summarized, including novel synthetic methodologies and strategies.

Synthesis of chiral [2,3]-fused indolines through enantioselective dearomatization inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction/oxidation of indoles with 2-(2-nitrovinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone

Enantioselective dearomatization inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction/oxidation of indoles with 2-(2-nitrovinyl)-1,4-benzoquinone provided various novel enantioenriched [2,3]-fused indolines.