Novel approach to the lundurine alkaloids: synthesis of the tetracyclic core

Synthetic studies toward lapidilectine-type Kopsia alkaloids

A rapid synthesis of the tetracyclic core of Kopsia indole alkaloids related to lapidilectine B, grandilodine C, and tenuisine A is reported. Key to the success of this route was an efficient and scalable Ugi four-component coupling to install all the necessary carbons found in the natural products.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of medium-sized heterocycles

The development of new strategies for synthesis of medium-sized heterocycles has remained a highly attractive but challenging proposition. In the last few years, the application of microwave irradiation has greatly facilitated the construction of such heterocyclic ring systems through a myriad of different synthetic approaches. This feature article illustrates the progress made in the microwave-assisted synthesis of medium-sized heterocycles with an emphasis on examples describing the use of a dedicated microwave synthesizer.