Synthetic Studies toward the Myrioneuron Alkaloids

The Myrioneuron alkaloids are a relatively small family of plant-derived alkaloids that present an intriguing array of structural intricacy and biological properties. As such, these natural products have drawn interest from the synthetic community, resulting in creative total syntheses of several family members. This review showcases recent synthetic efforts towards these polycyclic alkaloids.

Symmetry-Driven Total Synthesis of Myrioneurinol

We report a total synthesis of the Myrioneuron alkaloid myrioneurinol enabled by the recognition of hidden symmetry within its polycyclic structure. Our approach traces myrioneurinol's complex framework back to a symmetrical diketone precursor, a double reductive amination of which forges its central piperidine unit. By employing an inexpensive chiral amine in this key desymmetrizing event, four stereocenters of the natural product including the core quaternary stereocenter are set in an absolute sense, providing the first asymmetric entry to this target. Other noteworthy strategic maneuvers include utilizing a bicyclic alkene as a latent cis-1,3-bis(hydroxymethyl) synthon and a topologically controlled alkene hydrogenation. Overall, our synthesis proceeds in 18 steps and ∼1% yield from commercial materials.

Fluorium-Initiated Dealkylative Cyanation of Thioethers to Thiocyanates

Thioethers are converted to thiocyanates via fluorium-initiated dealkylative cyanation. Selectfluor is used as the oxidant, and trimethylsilyl cyanide is used as the cyanation reagent. The well-streamlined procedure is user-friendly, operationally simple, and step-economical. The current mechanistic studies show that the sulfur radical cation and cyano radical are both involved. They combine to deliver cyanosulfonium, an intermediate toward thiocyanate after dealkylation. Alternatively, a nucleophilic mechanism is also possible. Our dealkyaltive cyanation is also efficient in synthesizing thiocyanates with strongly electrophilic functionalities.

Cascade cyclization and intramolecular nitrone dipolar cycloaddition and formal synthesis of 19-hydroxyibogamine

A cascade or domino sequence of condensation of hydroxylamine and an aldehyde to give an oxime, cyclization to a nitrone, and intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition has been successfully employed where there is branching at C-4 as a route to the iboga alkaloids. Cyclization occurs with displacement of chloride as a leaving group and intramolecular cycloaddition occurs with an alkene as a dipolarophile. The reaction gives an azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane product containing a fused isoxazolidine as a single stereoisomer and this was converted to an isoquinuclidine that completed a formal synthesis of the alkaloid (±)-19-hydroxyibogamine.

Synthesis of fused tricyclic amines unsubstituted at the ring-junction positions by a cascade condensation, cyclization, cycloaddition then decarbonylation strategy

Heating aldehydes that contain a protected hydroxymethyl group, a tethered alkyl chloride and a tethered alkenyl group at the α-position of the aldehyde with an amine sets up a cascade (tandem) reaction sequence involving condensation to an intermediate imine, then cyclization and formation of an intermediate azomethine ylide and then intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition. The fused tricyclic products are formed with complete or very high stereochemical control. The hydroxymethyl group was converted into an aldehyde – which could be removed to give the tricyclic amine products that are unsubstituted at the ring junction positions – or was converted into an alkene, which allowed the formation of the core ring system of the alkaloids scandine and meloscine.