Ruthenium dioxide in fluoro acid medium III. Application to the synthesis of aporphinic, homoaporphinic and dibenzazocinic alkaloids. Studies towards the preparation of azafluoranthenic skeleton

Development and application of new oxidation systems utilizing oxometalate catalysts

This review describes our recent efforts in the development and application of new oxidation systems utilizing oxometalate catalysts. The novel use of heteropoly acid (HPA), an acidic oxometalate catalyst, in hypervalent iodine-mediated oxidations provided an effective strategy to generate cation radical species that enables a variety of direct C-H functionalizations of aromatic compounds. This strategy brought a facile biaryl synthesis and new spirodienone syntheses in aromatic oxidation chemistry. Moreover, this strategy opens up a facile synthetic route to morphinandienone alkaloids. On the other hand, the use of oxometalate catalyst together with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-based polymer in the development of new solid-phase catalyst provided a novel reaction system in water. Due to the characteristic temperature-responsive intelligence of PNIPAAm, this reaction system brought a remarkable acceleration of the reactivity and ease of catalyst recovering in catalytic oxidation that uses hydrogen peroxide or oxygen gas (O<inf>2</inf>) as primary oxidant. In addition, the recovered solid-phase catalyst could be used for consecutive reactions without any significant loss of its catalytic efficacy.

Synthetic studies and pharmacological evaluations on the MDMA ('Ecstasy') antagonist nantenine

The naturally occurring aporphine alkaloid nantenine, has been shown to antagonize behavioral and physiological effects of MDMA in mice. We have synthesized (+/-)-nantenine via an oxidative cyclization reaction with PIFA and evaluated its binding profile against a panel of CNS targets. To begin to understand the importance of the chiral center of nantenine with regards to its capacity to antagonize the effects of MDMA in vivo, (R)- and (S)-nantenine were prepared and evaluated in a food-reinforced operant task in rats. Pretreatment with either nantenine enantiomer (0.3mg/kg ip) completely blocked the behavioral suppression induced upon administration of 3.0mg/kg MDMA. (+/-)-Nantenine displayed high affinity and selectivity for the alpha(1A) adrenergic receptor among several other receptors suggesting that this alpha(1) subtype may be significantly involved in the anti-MDMA effects of the enantiomers.

Palladium-catalyzed direct arylation of simple arenes in synthesis of biaryl molecules

Significant progress has been made in the direct arylation of simple arenes. A number of catalyst systems have been developed which enable the intramolecular direct arylation of aryl chlorides, bromides and iodides in high yield as well as conditions capable of achieving intermolecular direct arylation with simple arenes. This account describes recent progress by our group and others in the development of these reactions.

A novel and concise synthesis of spirodienone alkaloids using hypervalent iodine(III) reagents

Intramolecular oxidative coupling reaction of N-protected benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives using hypervalent iodine(III) reagents was investigated. The use of remarkable combination of phenyliodine bis (trifluoroacetate) (PIFA) and heteropoly acid (HPA) in wet acetonitrile smoothly afforded morphinandienone alkaloids, while neospirinedienone alkaloids were obtained in high yield under anhydrous conditions.

Direct intramolecular arylation of unactivated arenes: application to the synthesis of aporphine alkaloids

The direct intramolecular C-H arylation of unactivated arenes is a viable strategy for the synthesis of aporphine alkaloids. These reactions occur with 3 to 5 mol% catalyst and generate the aporphine skeleton in up to 99% yield.

Synthesis and biological activity of isoamoenylin, a metabolite of Dendrobium amoenum

Isoamoenylin (6), a dihydrostilbene from Dendrobium amoenum, was synthesised from 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde (1) in four steps with an overall yield of 60%. The spectral data for synthetic 6 are in good agreement with those of the natural product. Isoamoenylin showed moderate antioxidative and weak antibacterial activities.