Total synthesis of the tetracyclic indole alkaloid ht-13-A

Transition-metal catalyzed C-H activation as a means of synthesizing complex natural products

Over the past few decades, the advent of C-H activation has led to a rethink among chemists about the synthetic strategies employed for multi-step transformations. Indeed, deploying innovative and masterful tricks against the numerous classical organic transformations has been the need of the hour. Despite this, the immense importance of C-H activation remains unfulfilled unless the methodology can be deployed for large-scale industrial processes and towards the concise, step-economic synthesis of prodigious natural products and pharmaceutical drugs. Lately, the growing potential of C-H activation methodology has indeed driven the pioneers of synthetic organic chemists into finding more efficient methods to accelerate the synthesis of such complex molecular scaffolds. This review aims to draw a general overview of the various C-H activation procedures that have been adopted for synthesizing these vast majority of structurally complicated natural products. Our objective lies in drawing a complete picture and taking the readers through the synthesis of a series of such complex organic compounds by simplified techniques, making it step-economic on a larger scale and thus instigating the readers to trigger the use of such methodology and uncover new, unique patterns for future synthesis of such natural products.

Nitroarenes and nitroalkenes as potential amino sources for the synthesis of N-heterocycles

Nitro-compounds are one of the cheapest and most readily available materials in the chemical industry and are commonly utilized as versatile building blocks. Previously, the synthesis of N-heterocycles was largely based on anilines. The utilization of nitroarenes and nitroalkenes for the synthesis of N-heterocyclic compounds can save at least one step, however, as compared to anilines. Thus, considerable attention has been paid to nitroarenes and nitroalkenes as new potential amino sources. Significant progress has been made in the reductive cyclization of nitroarenes or nitroalkenes to access various N-heterocycles in recent years. Herein, we comprehensively summarize the recent progress in the construction of N-heterocycles using nitroarenes and nitroalkenes as potential amino sources. The compatibility of the reaction substrate, its mechanism, applications, advantages, and limitations in this field are also discussed in detail.

Synthesis of indole derivatives as prevalent moieties present in selected alkaloids

Indoles are a significant heterocyclic system in natural products and drugs. They are important types of molecules and natural products and play a main role in cell biology. The application of indole derivatives as biologically active compounds for the treatment of cancer cells, microbes, and different types of disorders in the human body has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Indoles, both natural and synthetic, show various biologically vital properties. Owing to the importance of this significant ring system, the investigation of novel methods of synthesis have attracted the attention of the chemical community. In this review, we aim to highlight the construction of indoles as a moiety in selected alkaloids.

Synthesis of the tricyclic indole alkaloids, dilemmaones A and B

Dilemmaones A-C are naturally occurring tricyclic indole alkaloids possessing a unique hydroxymethylene or methoxymethylene substituent at the C2 position of the indole core and a C6-C7 fused cyclopentanone. Dilemmaone B has been prepared in 5 steps from 5-methylindan-1-one, and dilemmaone A has been prepared in 3 steps from a common precursor, 6-bromo-5-methyl-7-nitroindan-1-one. In both syntheses, key steps include a Kosugi-Migita-Stille cross coupling and a reductive cyclization using hydrogen gas and a transition metal catalyst.

A rotifer-derived paralytic compound prevents transmission of schistosomiasis to a mammalian host

Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms that infect over 200 million people, causing the neglected tropical disease, schistosomiasis. A single drug, praziquantel, is used to treat schistosome infection. Limitations in mass drug administration programs and the emergence of schistosomiasis in nontropical areas indicate the need for new strategies to prevent infection. It has been known for several decades that rotifers colonizing the schistosome's snail intermediate host produce a water-soluble factor that paralyzes cercariae, the life cycle stage infecting humans. In spite of its potential for preventing infection, the nature of this factor has remained obscure. Here, we report the purification and chemical characterization of Schistosome Paralysis Factor (SPF), a novel tetracyclic alkaloid produced by the rotifer Rotaria rotatoria. We show that this compound paralyzes schistosome cercariae and prevents infection and does so more effectively than analogous compounds. This molecule provides new directions for understanding cercariae motility and new strategies for preventing schistosome infection.

Synthesis of polycyclic phosphonates via an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of 2-benzoylbenzalaldehyde and alkenyl phosphites

In this paper, we present a Lewis-acid-promoted reaction of 2-benzoylbenzaldehyde and trialkenyl phosphites, which resulted in the formation of polycyclic phosphonates. The reaction proceeded via nucleophilic attack of trialkenyl phosphite on the carbonyl carbon of 2-benzoylbenzaldehyde. The subsequent intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction led to the formation of the cyclic phosphonate.

Remarkable electronic effect on the total stereoselectivity of the cycloaddition reaction of arylnitrile oxides with pyrrol-2-one derivatives

The regiospecific 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 1,5-dihydropyrrol-2-one and arylnitrile oxides derivatives have been investigated. The asymmetric induction expected by the chiral centre of the 5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,5-dihydropyrrol-2-one derivatives was very effective, single diastereoisomers anti-3 was formed. The diastereoselectivity was linked to the destabilization of the syn transition state as a result of the electrostatic repulsion between the hydroxy group of the dihydropyrrol-2-one derivatives and the atom oxygen of the dipole.

Zinc Chloride Catalyzed Amino Claisen Rearrangement of 1-N-Allylindolines: An Expedient Protocol for the Synthesis of Functionalized 7-Allylindolines

7-Allylindolines are valuable synthons for designing biologically active molecular libraries. Lewis acid catalyzed amino-Claisen rearrangement provides a one pot synthetic entry to these heteroarenes. In this context, Zinc chloride (ZnCl2)–N,N-dimethylformamide system efficiently catalyzed amino-Claisen rearrangements of 1-N-allylindolines to 7-allylindolines. The rearrangement is influenced by stereoelectronic effects of substituents present in 1-N-allylindolines. The substrates containing electron donating functionalities underwent rearrangement at lower temperature than substrates with electron withdrawing functional groups. The regioselectivity of the process is governed by the substitution pattern on allyl moiety in 1-N-allylindoline as well as ZnCl2 catalyst loading in the reaction system.

An efficient synthesis of imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-7-ium hydroxides by a one-pot, three-component reaction in water

An improved synthesis of 2-ethyl-5-(2-hydroxy-4-oxoquinolin-3(4H)-ylidene)-6-aryl-5,6-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-7-ium hydroxide derivatives 4a–k via the reaction of aryl glyoxal monohydrates 1a–k, quinoline-2,4-diol 2 and 2-amino-[1,3,4]thiadiazole (3) in the presence of Et3N/sulfamic acid in H2O is described. This green protocol is characterized by the use of the readily available catalyst and reactants, short reaction times, operational simplicity and high yields of products. The structures of all compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectral data and microanalyses.

Double Palladium Catalyzed Reductive Cyclizations. Synthesis of 2,2'-, 2,3'-, and 3,3'-Bi-1H-indoles, Indolo[3,2-b]indoles, and Indolo[2,3-b]indoles

A palladium catalyzed, carbon monoxide mediated, double reductive cyclization of 1,4-, 1,3-, and 2,3-bis(2-nitroaryl)-1,3-butadienes to afford 2,2'-, 2,3'-, and 3,3'-biindoles, respectively, was developed. In contrast, reductive cyclizations of 1,2-bis(2-nitroaryl)ethenes were nonselective, affording mixtures of monocyclized indoles, indolo[3,2-b]indole, indolo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6(5H)-ones, and 5,11-dihydro-6H-indolo[3,2-c]quinolin-6-ones. Nonselective product formation was also observed from reductive cyclization of 1,1-bis(2-nitroaryl)ethenes, producing indolo[2,3-b]indoles and indolo[2,3-c]quinolin-6-ones. Carbon monoxide insertion to give the carbonyl containing products was the major or sole reaction path starting from 1,1- or 1,2-bis(2-nitroaryl)ethenes.

A concise gram-scale synthesis of ht-13-A via a rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular C–H activation reaction

The enantioselective total synthesis of the 3,4-fused indole alkaloid ht-13-A has been achieved.