Cascade Approach toward the Core Structure of Neosarpagine

The Allylic Alkylation of Ketone Enolates

The palladium-catalyzed allylic alkylation of non-stabilized ketone enolates was thought for a long time to be not as efficient as the analogous reactions of stabilized enolates, e. g. of malonates and β-ketoesters. The field has experienced a rapid development during the last two decades, with a range of new, highly efficient protocols evolved. In this review, the early developments as well as current methods and applications of palladium-catalyzed ketone enolate allylations will be discussed.

Non-stabilized enolates – versatile nucleophiles in transition metal-catalysed allylic alkylations

This review covers new developments in the transition metal-catalyzed allylic alkylations of non-stabilized enolates, preferentially generated from ketone, esters or amides.

Physical Properties and Molecular Conformations of Indole Alkaloids and Model Protein Interactions – Theoretical vs. Experimental Study

The physical properties and molecular structure of five natural indole alkaloids (IAs) and their interaction with protein targets have been studied, experimentally and theoretically. Electronic absorption (EAs) and CD spectroscopy, electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS), as well as imaging mass spectrometric techniques (IMS) were used, analyzing the isolated alkaloids and corresponding IAs/protein molecular complexes. Theoretical quantum chemical DFT calculations were also applied. The mechanism of their biological activity and structure-activity relationship as potential neurologically active compounds were studied, using the model interactions with 5HT2A receptors. The gas-phase stable molecular fragments of the IAs are discussed comparing the experimental mass spectrometric data and theoretical quantum chemical DFT calculations of the different molecular fragments of the IAs.

General Approach to the Total Synthesis of Macroline-Related Sarpagine and Ajmaline Alkaloids1

Described in this review is a general and efficient strategy for the synthesis of macroline-related sarpagine and ajmaline alkaloids. The tetracyclic ketone in the parent system, as well as the alkoxy substituted series served as templates for the synthesis of these complex molecules. The palladium-mediated enolate cross coupling process, regiospecific hydroboration, and Tollens reaction are some of the key transformations that have been employed for further functionalization of these templates. Synthetic routes that have been improved, in order to obtain gram quantities of these alkaloids form a part of this review.