Nucleophilic Addition of β-Amino Carbanions to Arynes: One-Pot Synthesis of 4-Aryl-N-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines

Selective oxidative β-C-H bond sulfenylation of tetrahydroisoquinolines with elemental sulfur

In this article, a convenient and efficient KIO₃-promoted oxidative sulfenylation at the β-position of tetrahydroisoquinolines and subsequent aromatization in the presence of elemental S₈ is presented. The reaction proceeds with moderate to good yields via a double C-S formation process. A wide range of structurally diverse 4-sulfenylisoquinolines/3-sulfenylpiperidine were synthesized with excellent functional group tolerance and high efficiency.

5-Aryloxazolidines as Reagents for Double Alkylation of Arenes: A Novel Synthesis of 4-Aryltetrahydroisoquinolines

5-Aryloxazolidines react with arenes under Lewis or Brønsted acid conditions via the Friedel-Crafts/Pictet-Spengler double alkylation sequence to give alkaloid-like 4-aryltetrahydroisoquinolines in 12-94% yields. Three approaches for the controlled insertion of substituents into the target molecules and application of oxazolidine derivatives such as 1-arylethanol-2-amines or 4-hydroxytetrahydroisoquinolines in the alkylation of arenes are also described. An unprecedented two-step easily scalable synthesis of the 4-aryltetrahydroisoquinoline core from aromatic aldehyde was achieved applying oxazolidine methodology.

Lewis Acid-Promoted Regio- and Diastereoselective Cross-Coupling of Aryl-Substituted 1,2-Diols and Boronic Acids

A Lewis acid-promoted highly regio- and diastereoselective C(sp³)-C(sp²) cross-coupling reaction between unprotected aryl-substituted 1,2-diols and styryl-, aryl-, heteroaryl-, and polyarylboronic acids has been developed in a one-pot procedure. The regioselective opening of aryl-substituted cyclic boronic esters promoted by a Lewis acid followed by subsequent intramolecular 1,4-transfer of the carbon ligand from boron to a resonance-stabilized benzylic carbenium ion minimizing the allylic 1,3-strain in a stereoselective fashion led to the corresponding α-substituted syn-phenylethyl alcohols. The synthetic utility of the method was illustrated by a short and efficient enantioselective synthesis of cherylline diethyl ether (-)-16.

LDA-mediated synthesis of ortho-cyanated diarylmethanes by reaction of fluoroarene with arylacetonitrile at room temperature

An efficient and facile method for the synthesis of ortho-cyanated diarylmethane by reaction of fluoroarene with arylacetonitrile in the presence of LDA (lithium diisopropylamide) at room temperature was developed.

Regioselectivity in the nucleophile trapping of arynes: the electronic and steric effects of nucleophiles and substituents

The regioselectivity in nucleophile trapping is investigated with arynes generated directly from bis-1,3-diynes. The regioselectivity is profoundly influenced by not only the nature of nucleophiles but also the substituents on the arynes, which is the consequence of both the unfavorable steric interaction between the incoming nucleophile and the nearby substituent and the inherent electronic bias induced by different substituents on the arynes.

Amaryllidaceae and Sceletium alkaloids

Covering: July 2010 to June 2012. Previous review: Nat. Prod. Rep., 2011, 28, 1126-1142. Recent progress on the isolation, identification, biological activity and synthetic studies of structurally diverse alkaloids from plants of the family Amaryllidaceae is summarized in this review. In addition, the structurally related alkaloids isolated from Sceletium species are discussed as well.