Strategies for the synthesis of Stemona alkaloids: an update.

Covering: 2009 to 2022The Stemona alkaloids, which are found in plant species from the family Stemonaceae, represent a tremendously large and structurally-diverse family of natural products. This review presents and discusses a selection of case studies, grouped by alkaloid class, that showcase the key strategies and overall progress that has been made in the synthesis of Stemona alkaloids and related compounds since 2009. Structural reassignments that have been reported over this period are also identified where necessary.

Structural Revision of Parvistemoamide: Informing Biosynthetic Proposals of Stemona Alkaloids.

The natural product parvistemoamide was isolated in 1991 and has ostensibly eluded synthesis. Its distinctive assigned structure represents the first and only Stemona alkaloid within its class. For over 30 years, this structure has influenced biosynthetic proposals concerning this family of natural products. Following synthetic studies and comprehensive analysis of relevant literature, a revised structure of parvistemoamide is proposed that is consistent with the fundamental Stemona alkaloid stemoamide.

Synthesis of Pyrrolidine- and γ-Lactam-Containing Natural Products and Related Compounds from Pyrrole Scaffolds.

Polycyclic alkaloid natural products featuring pyrrolidine and pyrrolidinone motifs remain enduring targets of total synthesis endeavors. Pyrrole and its derivatives have been exploited to access many such frameworks, including alkaloids belonging to the Aspidosperma, Stemona, and batzelladine families. In this article, a selection of exemplars that highlight the utility of pyrrole-based approaches to facilitate total syntheses of pyrrolidine- and pyrrolidinone-containing alkaloids and related molecules are showcased.

Polygodial and Ophiobolin A Analogues for Covalent Crosslinking of Anticancer Targets.

In a search of small molecules active against apoptosis-resistant cancer cells, including glioma, melanoma, and non-small cell lung cancer, we previously prepared α,ß- and γ,δ-unsaturated ester analogues of polygodial and ophiobolin A, compounds capable of pyrrolylation of primary amines and demonstrating double-digit micromolar antiproliferative potencies in cancer cells. In the current work, we synthesized dimeric and trimeric variants of such compounds in an effort to discover compounds that could crosslink biological primary amine containing targets. We showed that such compounds retain the pyrrolylation ability and possess enhanced single-digit micromolar potencies toward apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. Target identification studies of these interesting compounds are underway.

Exploring Cyclization Strategies to Access Stemona Alkaloids: Subtle Effects Influencing Reactivity in Intramolecular Michael Additions.

This report investigates the fundamental basis for rather surprising patterns of reactivity in Brønsted acid-mediated cyclizations of pyrrole substrates bearing pendant Michael acceptors that were identified during syntheses of Stemona alkaloids. Integrated experimental and theoretical studies reveal the profound influence that substituent effects have on the viability of these transformations. Additionally, we identify that electronic effects, in addition to barrier-lowering secondary orbital interactions within transition states, account for the exclusive preference for 7-endo-trig cyclizations over 6-exo-trig cyclizations.

Revised Structures of Dehydrostenines A and B: Total Syntheses of (±)-Dehydrostenine A and Structure Assigned to Dehydrostenine B.

The first total syntheses of the Stemona alkaloid dehydrostenine A and the structure assigned to dehydrostenine B have been completed from a simple pyrrole substrate in 10 and 11 steps, respectively. Two independent Brønsted-acid-mediated intramolecular Michael additions were exploited to construct the tetracyclic dehydrostenine core. As a result of synthetic studies and associated analysis of the relevant literature, revisions of the structures originally assigned to dehydrostenines A and B are proposed.

Unified Total Syntheses of (±)-Sessilifoliamides B, C, and D.

The first total syntheses of the Stemona alkaloids sessilifoliamides B and D and the second synthesis of sessilifoliamide C have been completed from a simple pyrrole substrate. The bicyclic lactam core was prepared on a gram scale via a Brønsted acid mediated cyclization and controlled oxidation with Dess-Martin periodinane. This delivered sessilifoliamide C (and its C-11 epimer) in 24% yield over 11 steps, and sessilifoliamides B and D in 13 and 17 steps, respectively.

Computational Investigation into the Mechanistic Features of Bromide-Catalyzed Alcohol Oxidation by PhIO in Water.

Iodosobenzene (PhIO) is known to be a potent oxidant for alcohols in the presence of catalytic bromide in water. In order to understand this important and practical oxidation process, we have conducted density functional theory studies to shed light on the reaction mechanism. The key finding of this study is that PhIO is not the reactive oxidant itself. Instead, the active oxidant is hypobromite (BrO-), which is generated by the reaction of PhIO with bromide through an SN2-type reaction. Critically, water acts as a cocatalyst in the generation of BrO- through lowering the activation energy of this process. This investigation also demonstrates why BrO- is a more powerful oxidant than PhIO in the oxidation of alcohols. Other halide additives have been reported experimentally to be less effective catalysts than bromide-our calculations provide a clear rationale for these observations. We also examined the effect of replacing water with methanol on the ease of the SN2 reaction, finding that the replacement resulted in a higher activation barrier for the generation of BrO-. Overall, this work demonstrates that the hypervalent iodine(III) reagent PhIO can act as a convenient and controlled precursor of the oxidant hypobromite if the right conditions are present.

Methods for the synthesis of annulated pyrroles via cyclisation strategies.

Pyrrole, pyrrolidine, and indolizidine alkaloids represent important classes of natural products. Historically, these heterocycles and their derivatives have been the focus of significant interest in organic synthesis. In this report, we review the methods that have been employed to synthesise annulated pyrroles via transformations that include: Friedel-Crafts acylations and alkylations, Michael additions, Heck couplings, hydroarylations, carbenoid insertions, and radical cyclisations.

Extraction of carboxylic acid-containing diterpenoids from Dodonaea viscosa via pressurised hot water extraction.

Pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) was employed to effect the extraction of two carboxylic acid-containing ent-labdane diterpenoids from Dodonaea viscosa. The different extraction profile provided by PHWE in this case suggests that this recently developed method also has applications as a complementary tool for natural products extraction.

ent-Labdane Diterpenoids from Dodonaea viscosa.

Seven new and two known ent-labdane diterpenoids have been isolated from a single plant specimen of Dodonaea viscosa ssp. spatulata, found in Tasmania, Australia. Prior to this study, only seven different labdane diterpenoids had been isolated from D. viscosa. The structures of the natural products were assigned via 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and other standard spectroscopic methods. The absolute configuration of three ent-labdane diterpenoids was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography of synthetic derivatives. Significantly, the results of this study suggest that the absolute configuration of some known labdane diterpenoids may have been misassigned.

New method for the rapid extraction of natural products: efficient isolation of shikimic acid from star anise.

A new, practical, rapid, and high-yielding process for the pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) of multigram quantities of shikimic acid from star anise (Illicium verum) using an unmodified household espresso machine has been developed. This operationally simple and inexpensive method enables the efficient and straightforward isolation of shikimic acid and the facile preparation of a range of its synthetic derivatives.