Identification of Psychoplastogenic Tropanes Lacking Muscarinic Activity

Tropane-containing small molecules like scopolamine are a promising class of psychoplastogens. However, their potent antagonism of all muscarinic receptor subtypes presents the potential for undesirable anticholinergic side effects. In an effort to decouple their neuroplasticity-promoting effects from their muscarinic activity, we performed phenotypic structure-activity relationship studies across a variety of structurally distinct subclasses of tropanes. We discovered several novel tropanes capable of significantly increasing cortical neuronal growth while exhibiting drastically reduced activity at all muscarinic receptor subtypes compared to scopolamine.

From synthetic control to natural products: a focus on N-heterocycles

Natural products containing a N-heterocycle motif are widespread in nature and medicinal plants, in particular, have proved to be a source of almost unlimited N-derived structures with high molecular diversity. Because of their intrinsic potential for use in both biomedical and agricultural applications, there is a general need for new compounds and for the synthesis of 'natural-inspired' analogues. Importantly, transition of a natural product from discovery to a 'market lead' is associated with an increasingly challenging demand for more of the compound, which cannot be met by isolation from natural plant sources, often due to low extraction yields and uneven availability of the plant source itself. Synthesis remains the most reliable approach to provide valuable products for the market. In this review, a comprehensive overview of our contribution to synthetic access to N-derived natural products is given. Major strengths of the proposed methodologies are discussed critically. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Synthesis of dendrobatid alkaloid (+)-167B and (+)-209D and the investigation of diastereoselectivity using DFT calculations

The synthesis of dendrobatid alkaloid (+)-167B and (+)-209D has been developed on the basis of the effective preparation of chiral tropinone 7-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-6-ol.

Enantioselective approach to quinolizidines: total synthesis of cermizine D and formal syntheses of senepodine G and cermizine C

The formal syntheses of C5-epi-senepodine G and C5-epi-cermizine C have been accomplished through a novel diastereoselective, intramolecular amide Michael addition process. The total synthesis of cermizine D has been achieved through use of an organocatalyzed, heteroatom Michael addition to access a common intermediate. Additional key steps of this sequence include a matched, diastereoselective alkylation with an iodomethylphenyl sulfide and sulfone-aldehyde coupling/reductive desulfurization sequence to combine the major subunits. The utility of a Hartwig-style C-N coupling has been explored on functionally dense coupling partners. Diastereoselective conjugate additions to α,β-unsaturated sulfones have been investigated, which provided the key sulfone intermediate in just six steps from commercially available starting materials. The formal syntheses of senepodine G and cermizine C have been accomplished through an intramolecular cyclization process of a N-Boc-protected piperidine sulfone.