Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation promoted by the cross conjugated β-keto ester system. An efficient approach to highly functionalized hydrophenanthrenes and hydrochrysenes

Applications of Friedel-Crafts reactions in total synthesis of natural products

Over the years, Friedel-Crafts (FC) reactions have been acknowledged as the most useful and powerful synthetic tools for the construction of a special kind of carbon-carbon bond involving an aromatic moiety. Its stoichiometric and, more recently, its catalytic procedures have extensively been studied. This reaction in recent years has frequently been used as a key step (steps) in the total synthesis of natural products and targeted complex bioactive molecules. In this review, we try to underscore the applications of intermolecular and intramolecular FC reactions in the total syntheses of natural products and complex molecules, exhibiting diverse biological properties.

The enantioselective construction of tetracyclic diterpene skeletons with Friedel-Crafts alkylation and palladium-catalyzed cycloalkenylation reactions

Due to the profound extent to which natural products inspire medicinal chemists in drug discovery, there is demand for innovative syntheses of these often complex materials. This article describes the synthesis of tricarbocyclic natural product architectures through an extension of the enantioselective Birch-Cope sequence with intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions. Additionally, palladium-catalyzed enol silane cycloalkenylation of the tricarbocyclic structures afforded the challenging bicyclo[3.2.1]octane C/D ring system found in the gibberellins and the ent-kauranes, two natural products with diverse medicinal value. In the case of the ent-kaurane derivative, an unprecedented alkene rearrangement converted four alkene isomers to one final product.

Stereoselective syntheses of four diastereomers of 3,9,12-trihydroxycalamenene via a benzobicyclo[3.3.1] intermediate

The highly stereoselective syntheses of four diastereomers of natural 3,9,12-trihydroxycalamenene are described. The syntheses highlight the utility of an unusual framework of benzobicyclo[3.3.1] lactones, which were accomplished via an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts-type Michael addition of alpha,beta-unsaturated lactones.

Total synthesis of (-)-himandrine

We describe the first total synthesis of (-)-himandrine, a member of the class II galbulimima alkaloids. Noteworthy features of this chemistry include a diastereoselective Diels-Alder reaction in the rapid synthesis of the tricycle ABC-ring system in an enantiomerically enriched form, the use of a formal [3+3] annulation strategy to secure the CDE-ring system with complete diastereoselection, and successful implementation of our biogenetically inspired oxidative spirocyclization of an advanced intermediate. The successful and direct late-stage formation of the F-ring in the hexacyclic core of himandrine drew on the power of biogenetic considerations and fully utilized the inherent chemistry of a plausible biosynthetic intermediate.