Application of a stereospecific RhCl(PPh3)3 decarbonylation reaction for the total synthesis of 7-(±)-deoxypancratistatin

Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed CO-Gas-Free Arylative Dual-Carbonylation of Alkynes with Arylboronic Acids via the Formyl C–H Activation of Formaldehyde

The rhodium(I)-catalyzed reaction of alkynes with aryl­boronic acids in the presence of formaldehyde results in a CO-gas-free arylative dual-carbonylation to produce γ-butenolide derivatives. The simultaneous loading of phosphine-ligated and phosphine-free rhodium(I) complexes is required for efficient catalysis. The former complex catalyzes the abstraction of a carbonyl moiety from formaldehyde through the activation of its formyl C–H bond (decarbonylation) and the latter catalyzes the subsequent dual-incorporation of the resulting carbonyl unit (carbonylation). The use of larger amounts of the phosphine-ligated rhodium(I) complex generates more carbonyl units, leading to the formation γ-butenolides via the dual-incorporation of the carbonyl unit.

Short, enantioselective, gram-scale synthesis of (-)-zephyranthine

A reasonable synthesis design by strategically integrating functional group manipulation into the ring system construction resulted in a short, enantioselective, gram-scale total synthesis of (−)-zephyranthine. The concise route includes a catalytic Michael/Michael cascade for the asymmetric synthesis of a penta-substituted cyclohexane with three contiguous stereogenic centers, a remarkable 8-step one-pot operation to easily assemble the zephyranthine tetracyclic skeleton, the regioselective construction of a double bond in the C ring and an asymmetric dihydroxylation. This synthesis is also flexible and paves a potential path to a variety of cyclohexylamine-fused tricyclic or polycyclic alkaloids.

A reasonable synthesis design by strategically integrating functional group manipulation into the ring system construction resulted in a short, enantioselective, gram-scale total synthesis of (−)-zephyranthine.

Enantioselective Synthesis of Isocarbostyril Alkaloids and Analogs Using Catalytic Dearomative Functionalization of Benzene

Enantioselective total syntheses of the anticancer isocarbostyril alkaloids (+)-7-deoxypancratistatin, (+)-pancratistatin, (+)-lycoricidine, and (+)-narciclasine are described. Our strategy for accessing this unique class of natural products is based on the development of a Ni-catalyzed dearomative trans-1,2-carboamination of benzene. The effectiveness of this dearomatization approach is notable, as only two additional olefin functionalizations are needed to construct the fully decorated aminocyclitol cores of these alkaloids. Installation of the lactam ring has been achieved through several pathways and a direct interconversion between natural products was established via a late-stage C-7 cupration. Using this synthetic blueprint, we were able to produce natural products on a gram scale and provide tailored analogs with improved activity, solubility, and metabolic stability.

Asymmetric cinnamylation of N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines with cinnamyl acetates: total syntheses of (+)-lycoricidine and (+)-7-deoxypancratistatin

Highly diastereoselective palladium catalyzed cinnamylation of N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines with cinnamyl acetates has been established to provide enantioenriched β-aryl homoallylic amines. The synthetic application of this stragety has been successfully demonstrated in the concise total syntheses of antitumor natural products (+)-lycoricidine and (+)-7-deoxypancratistatin.

Synthesis of (+)-Pancratistatins via Catalytic Desymmetrization of Benzene

A concise synthesis of (+)-pancratistatin and (+)-7-deoxypancratistatin from benzene using an enantioselective, dearomative carboamination strategy has been achieved. This approach, in combination with the judicious choice of subsequent olefin-type difunctionalization reactions, permits rapid and controlled access to a hexasubstituted core. Finally, minimal use of intermediary steps as well as direct, late stage C-7 hydroxylation provides both natural products in six and seven operations.

Activation of aldehydes by exocyclic iridium(i)-η4:π2-diene complexes derived from 1,3-oxazolidin-2-ones

The Ir(i) complexes [Tp^Me2Ir(η⁴-1,4-diene)] 2b and 2c react thermally with a variety of aromatic aldehydes, 3a-e, to generate the metallabicyclic compounds 4e-k and the Fischer-type carbenes 5a-b in moderate yields. These reactions are proposed to take place with the initial formation of η¹-aldehyde adducts as key intermediates. The formation of the metallabicyclic compounds 4e-k involves a formal decarboxylation process at the exo-2-oxazolidinone diene and an ortho metallation of the aromatic ring. The generation of the Fischer-type carbenes 5a-b is the result of a series of metal-based rearranged intermediates with no decarboxylation observed. Treatment of the η⁴-diene complex 2b with a variety of Lewis bases induces a change in the binding mode of the diene ligand from η⁴:π² to η²:σ² to form the Ir(iii) derivatives 6b-d of composition Tp^Me2Ir-(η⁴:π²-1,4-diene)(L) (L = CO, MeCN, and C₅H₅N). A study of reactions of complex 2b with either mono- or poly-deuterated aldehydes was performed to understand the mechanisms of such processes. The results of these studies were used to determine plausible formation mechanisms of the metallabicyclic compounds 4e-4k and Fischer-type carbenes 5a-b compound series. These mechanisms were corroborated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the free energy profiles.

Total synthesis of alkaloid 205B

Concise and highly stereocontrolled total syntheses of racemic and enantiopure frog alkaloid 205B (1) were accomplished in 11 steps from 4-methoxypyridines 6 and 7 in overall yields of 8 and 8%, respectively. The assembly of the core of the natural product relies on a stereoselective Tsuji-Trost allylic amination reaction and a ring-closing metathesis. The synthesis features the use of an N-acylpyridinium salt reaction to introduce the first stereocenter and an unprecedented trifluoroacetic anhydride-mediated addition of an allylstannane to a vinylogous amide with complete facial selectivity. Deoxygenation of the C4 ketone proved difficult but was accomplished via a modified Barton-McCombie reaction in the presence of a catalytic amount of diphenyl diselenide.

Synthesis of (+)-lycoricidine by the application of oxidative and regioselective ring-opening of aziridines

A highly stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-lycoricidine has been described. The salient features of this synthesis are the one-pot elimination followed by allylation reaction, ring-closing metathesis, stereoselective aziridine formation, Dess-Martin periodinane, and silica gel mediated oxidative ring-opening of aziridine to form alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone (allyl amine) and intramolecular Heck cyclization.

Amaryllidaceae and Sceletium alkaloids

A great number of natural products, especially alkaloids, which exhibit a range of biological activities including acetylcholinesterase inhibition and antineoplastic, cardiovascular and immunostimulatory activities, have been isolated from the plants of the Amaryllidaceae family. this review summarizes isolation, biological activity, and synthetic studies of these alkaloids. The primary biosynthetic pathways of each type of alkaloids are also proposed.