Asymmetric Construction of the Diazatricyclic Core of the Marine Alkaloids Sarains A−C

Isolation and Structural Characterization of Stable Carbamic-Carbonic Anhydrides: An Experimental and Computational Study

Carbamic-carbonic anhydrides are elusive species that have been only indirectly detected under controlled conditions. This functional group is transiently formed during the reaction of secondary amines with anhydrides in the...

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of an Advanced Intermediate of (+)-Sarain A

The first organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of an advanced intermediate of (+)-sarain A was achieved. This approach featured the employment of an organocatalytic asymmetric Michael addition reaction and a nitrogen-to-carbon chirality transfer to forge three chiral centers, as well as a catalytic hydrosilylation for the chemoselective reduction of a key lactam intermediate. The tricyclic intermediate contained all the required functionalities for elaborating into (+)-sarain A.

Recent progress on the total syntheses of macrocyclic diamine alkaloids

This review highlights the progress and challenges in the chemical synthesis of macrocyclic diamine alkaloids since 2006.

The Saraine Alkaloids

Saraines have been isolated by the group of Cimino from the marine sponge Reniera sarai collected in the Bay of Naples. These alkaloids can be classified into two categories, depending on the type of their structure. Saraines 1-3 and isosaraines 1-3 are characterized by a trans-2-oxoquinolizidine moiety bound directly to a tetrahydropyridine ring, both nuclei being also linked by two alkyl chains of different lengths. On the other hand, saraines A-C and misenine present a diazatricyclic central core, showing an unusual interaction between an aldehyde and a tertiary amine and giving them a zwitterionic character, and flanked with two chains forming macrocycles. In a first part of the chapter, the isolation, spectral data, and structure elucidation of saraines are presented. Biological properties and biogenetic proposals concerning these compounds are then described. The most important part is devoted to synthetic approaches and total synthesis of saraine A.

Total synthesis of (+)-sarain A

This article describes the details of our synthetic studies toward the complex marine alkaloid sarain A. Various strategies were conceived, setbacks encountered, and solutions developed, ultimately leading to a successful enantioselective total synthesis. Our route to (+)-sarain A features a number of key steps, including an asymmetric Michael addition to install the C4'-C3'-C7' stereotriad, an enoxysilane-N-sulfonyliminium ion cyclization to set the C3 quaternary carbon stereocenter, and assemble the diazatricycloundecane core, a ring-closing metathesis to construct the 13-membered ring, an intramolecular Stille coupling to fashion the unsaturated 14-membered macrocycle, and a late-stage installation of the tertiary amine-aldehyde proximity interaction.

Construction of an advanced tetracyclic intermediate for total synthesis of the marine alkaloid sarain A

In work directed toward a total synthesis of the marine alkaloid sarain A (1), the advanced intermediate 54, containing all the key elements and the seven stereogenic centers of sarain A, has been successfully synthesized from bicyclic lactam 4, previously prepared via an intramolecular stereospecific [3 + 2]-azomethine ylide dipolar cycloaddition. Intermediate lactam 4 could be efficiently converted to N-Boc derivative 12. Introduction of a two-carbon fragment into lactam 12 which eventually becomes the C-7',8' syn diol of the "eastern" ring was then achieved by C-acylation of the corresponding enolate with methoxyacetyl chloride followed by a highly stereoselective ketone reduction with Zn(BH4)2 to afford alcohol 16. Intermediate 16 has the incorrect C-7' relative stereochemistry for sarain A, but this problem was conveniently remedied by inverting the C-7' center via an intramolecular Ohfune-type cyclization of the silyl carbamate derived from Boc mesylate 27 to produce the key cyclic carbamate 28. It was then possible to convert acetal 28 to allylsilane 32 followed by cyclization to the alkaloid tricyclic core 33 via an allylsilane/N-sulfonyliminium ion cyclization. Formation of the "western" macrocyclic ring has been successfully addressed using functional group handles at C-3' and N-1' on the tricyclic core via a ring-closing olefin metathesis (RCM) strategy with the second-generation Grubbs ruthenium catalyst to produce intermediate macrolactam 47. A chelation-controlled addition of ethynylmagnesium bromide to advanced aldehyde 51 afforded a single diastereomeric adduct 53 which is tentatively assigned to have the correct C-7',8' syn-diol stereochemistry. This adduct could be rearranged to the conveniently protected amino carbonate 54 which is set up for construction of the remainder of the eastern ring of sarain A.

Toward an Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Sarain A: Construction of an Advanced Intermediate and Rearrangement of the Sarain A Core under Mild Conditions

A high-yielding N-sulfonyliminium ion-enoxysilane cyclization and a ring-closing metathesis are key steps in the enantioselective synthesis of late-stage intermediates en route to sarain A. Also revealed is an unprecedented rearrangement of the tetracyclic sarain A core under mildly acidic conditions. [structure: see text]

Asymmetric Synthesis of C-Aliphatic Homoallylic Amines and Biologically Important Cyclohexenylamine Analogues

An efficient method for the asymmetric synthesis of C-aliphatic homoallylic amines with up to 94% yield and 80% de is reported. Ring-closing metathesis of several chiral homoallylic amines using the second-generation Grubbs catalyst provided easy access to a wide variety of cyclohexenylamines.

Synthetic studies toward sarain A. Formation of the western macrocyclic ring

Starting with the tricyclic core 2b, annulation to form the 13-membered western ring of sarain A has been achieved to afford the macrocycle 30a by initial construction of the sterically congested quaternary center at C-3, followed by elaboration of the C-3 side-chain and ring-closing olefin metathesis. Also included is a parallel conversion of tricycle 2c to macrocycle 30b containing a functionalized side-chain at N-1 suitable for attachment of the eastern macrocyclic ring.

Decarbonylative radical cyclization of alpha-amino selenoesters upon electrophilic alkenes. A general method for the 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane synthesis

alpha-Amino selenoester-tethered electronically poor alkenes on treatment with tributyltin hydride or TTMSS undergo intramolecular radical cyclization to provide 6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes through 1-aminomethyl radical intermediates.

The synthesis and chemoselective reactivity of 3-aminocyclopentadienones

Iron and cobalt complexes of 3-aminocyclopentadienones have been synthesized from the [2 + 2 + 1] cycloadditions of nitrogen acetylenes and pendant alkynes. Following decomplexation, the resulting 3-aminocyclopentadienones have been subjected to chemo- and regioselective cycloadditions with dienophiles and heterodienes.

[3 + 2]-cycloaddition of nonstabilized azomethine ylides. 10. An efficient strategy for the construction of x-Azatricyclo[m.n.0. 0]

Various new structural entities related to x-azatricyclo[m.n.0. 0(a)()(,)(b)()]alkanes are constructed by the intramolecular [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition of nonstabilized cyclic azomethine ylides. The ylide is generated by the sequential double desilylation of N-alkyl alpha,alpha'-bis(trimethylsilyl)cyclic amines using Ag(I)F as a one-electron oxidant.

Facile synthesis of the tricyclic core of sarain A. 3-Oxidopyridinium betaine cycloaddition approach

[formula: see text] A new approach to a suitably functionalized tricyclic core of sarains has been developed by means of Katritzky's cycloaddition using 3-oxidopyridinium betaines. A key step was the regioselective differentiation of the two nearly identical hydroxy groups derived from oxidative cleavage of the double bond in 8 to afford 14. A stereocontrolled construction of the tricyclic core 20 of sarains containing the requisite side chain at C-3' was achieved by an intramolecular conjugate addition.