Polycyclic Ring Formation Using Bis-diazolactams for Cascade Stitching.

The chemoselective reaction of donor/acceptor (D/A) and acceptor/acceptor (A/A) diazo moieties in the same molecule was examined using 3-diazo-1-(ethyl 2-diazomalonyl)indolin-2-one under rhodium(II) catalysis. The metallo carbenoid derived from the D/A diazo group is preferentially formed and undergoes selective CH, NH, and OH insertion reactions, cyclopropanation, cyclopropenation, sulfur ylide formation/2,3-sigmatropic rearrangement, as well as nitrogen ylide formation followed by azetidine ring expansion. The initial reaction can be paired with a subsequent tandem cascade sequence involving dipole formation/cycloaddition in either an intra- or intermolecular sense to generate polycyclic N-heterocycles in one pot, with the formation up to three new rings in a single operation. Excellent diastereoselectivity was observed in the intramolecular cycloaddition reaction producing 5 to 7-membered rings.

IMDAF Cascade Approach toward the Synthesis of the Alkaloid (±)-Minfiensine.

The total synthesis of the Strychnos alkaloid (±)-minfiensine was achieved via an intramolecular amidofuran Diels-Alder cycloaddition/rearrangement followed by an iminium ion/cyclization cascade sequence. This domino process provides for a rapid access to the unique 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9a,4a-iminoethanocarbazole core structure found in the alkaloid minfiensine (2). In this paper, the full account of our synthetic study is described, highlighting the successful application of the cascade sequence to form the A/B/C/D rings of (±)-minfiensine (2) in high yield. A palladium-catalyzed enolate coupling reaction was then used to furnish the final E ring and complete the total synthesis of (±)-minfiensine (2).

Solvent and ligand effects associated with the Rh(II)-catalyzed reactions of α-diazo-substituted amido esters.

We report a detailed investigation into the Rh(II)-catalyzed reactions of 2-alkynyl 2-diazo amido-substituted esters. The distribution of products was found to be dependent on the substituent group on the nitrogen atom, the ligand on the Rh(II) center, and the solvent used. The dominant product obtained from the reaction of 3-(trimethylsilyl)prop-2-ynyl-2-(dibenzylcarbamoyl)-2-diazoacetate (34) with Rh2(OAc)4 in hexane corresponds to an azetidinone derived by CH-insertion of the carbenoid into the neighboring benzyl group. In contrast, the Rh2(esp)2-catalyzed reaction of 34 in CH2Cl2 afforded a 3-oxocyclohepta[c]pyrrole formed by cyclopropanation of the rhodium carbenoid across the aromatic π-bond. Related systems were studied, and CH-insertion into an adjacent alkyl group was found to be the dominant or exclusive pathway. In none of the cases studied was it possible to detect products derived from a carbenoid/alkyne cascade sequence as had previously been found with a series of 2-alkynyl-2-diazo-3-oxobutanoates.

Model studies directed toward the alkaloid mersicarpine utilizing a Rh(II)-catalyzed insertion/cycloaddition sequence.

Model studies dealing with the rhodium(II)-catalyzed carbenoid insertion/cyclization/cycloaddition cascade of several α-diazo dihydroindolinones have been carried out as an approach to the alkaloid mersicarpine. The cascade reaction of α-diazo dihydroindolinone 21 proceeded in high yield with excellent diastereoselectivity to give cycloadduct 22, which possesses the required stereochemistry of the two adjacent quaternary carbon centers present in mersicarpine. The overall reaction enabled the rapid assemblage of a polycyclic ring system that contains three new stereocenters and three continuous quaternary carbons in a single operation in high yield with excellent diastereoselectivity. The 3-indolinone derivative 36 was eventually formed from cycloadduct 22 by an acid-induced hydrolysis of 22 to give 23, which was subsequently converted in several steps to 36. The synthesis of this compound constitutes a successful construction of the tricyclic core of mersicarpine. Reduction of the nitrile group of 36 followed by a subsequent reductive cyclization/ring-opening aromatization cascade, as was found to occur with the related compound 29, will be employed for an eventual synthesis of demethylmersicarpine.

Intramolecular cycloaddition reactions of furo[3,4-b]indoles for alkaloid synthesis.

Model studies dealing with the Cu(II)- or Rh(II)-catalyzed carbenoid cyclization/cycloaddition cascade of several α-diazo indolo amido esters have been carried out as an approach to the alkaloid scandine. The Cu(II)-catalyzed reaction of an α-diazo indolo diester that contains a tethered oxa-pentenyl side chain was found to give rise to a reactive benzo[c]furan which undergoes a subsequent [4 + 2]-cycloaddition across the tethered π-bond. The reaction proceeds by the initial generation of a copper carbenoid intermediate which cyclizes onto the adjacent carbonyl group to give a reactive benzo[c]furan which in certain cases can be isolated. Disappointingly, the analogous reaction with the related amido indolo ester failed to take place, even when the tethered π-bond contained an electron-withdrawing carbomethoxy group. It would seem that the geometric requirements for the intramolecular cycloaddition of the furo[3,4-b]indole system with the tethered π-bond imposes distinct restrictions upon the bond angles of the reacting centers to prevent the cycloaddition reaction from occurring. However, the incorporation of another carbonyl group on the nitrogen atom of the tethered alkenyl diazo amido indolo ester seemingly provides better orbital overlap between the reacting π-systems and allows the desired cycloaddition reaction to occur.

An IMDAF cycloaddition approach toward the synthesis of the lycopodium alkaloid (±)-fawcettidine.

Using an intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition/rearrangement cascade of 3-(1,4-dioxaspiro[4.4]non-7-en-7-yl)-N-furan-2-ylpropionamide (23) as the key step, the BCD core of the lycopodium alkaloid fawcettidine was constructed. Heating the initially formed Diels-Alder cycloadduct at 180 °C results in a nitrogen-assisted ring opening followed by a deprotonation/reprotonation of the ensuing zwitterion to give a rearranged hexahydroindolinone. Our attempts to induce a related intramolecular furan Diels-Alder reaction (IMDAF) from the corresponding ketone of 23 failed to give any cycloaddition product. Instead, the only product obtained corresponded to a cyclopentenone derivative derived by isomerization of the double bond into the thermodynamically more stable α,ß-position. Efforts toward construction of the final skeleton of fawcettidine by ring A closure of the rearranged cycloadduct derived from furanyl amide 23 are discussed.

N-alkenyl indoles as useful intermediates for alkaloid synthesis.

A mild cross-coupling reaction to access several N-alkenyl-substituted indoles has been developed. The coupling procedure involves treating a NH-indole with various alkenyl bromides using a combination of 10 mol % of copper(I) iodide and 20 mol % of ethylenediamine as the catalyst in dioxane at 110 °C in the presence of K(3)PO(4) as the base. When treated with acid, these unique enamines produce a dimeric product derived from a preferred protonation reaction at the enamine π-bond. A cationic cyclization reaction of the readily available 2-(2-(1H-indol-1-yl)allyl)cyclopentanol was utilized to construct tetracyclic indole derivatives with a quaternary stereocenter attached to the C(2)-position of the indole ring. An alternative strategy for selective functionalization at the C(2)-position of a N-alkenyl-substituted indole derivative that was also studied involves a radical cyclization of a xanthate derivative. The work described provides an attractive route to the tetracyclic core of some vinca alkaloids, including the tetrahydroisoquinocarbazole RS-2135.

Heteroaryl cross-coupling as an entry toward the synthesis of lavendamycin analogues: a model study.

ABC analogues of the antitumor antibiotic lavendamycin, which contain the key metal chelation site and redox-active quinone unit essential for biological activity, were prepared via the palladium(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of various 2-haloheteroaromatics with 2-stannylated pyridines and quinolines. Using the Stille reaction, 2-bromo substituted quinolines and 1-bromoisoquinolines were found to undergo efficient coupling with 2-pyridinylstannanes to provide unsymmetrical heterobiaryl derivatives. While the Stille reaction using the reverse coupling partners (i.e., 2-quinolinylstannanes and haloheteroaromatics) had not received much attention in the literature, we found that this alternative coupling reaction efficiently provided several new heterobiaryl derivatives. The gold-catalyzed intramolecular cycloisomerization of N-(prop-2-ynyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxamide smoothly afforded a beta-carbolinone derivative that was subsequently used for a Pd(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling directed toward the synthesis of lavendamycin analogues.

2,3-Bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene as a reagent for the synthesis of the azatricyclic core of (+/-)-halichlorine.

An efficient stereocontrolled route to the azatricyclic core of an advanced halichlorine intermediate is described. Reaction of the oxime derived from 2-(oxo-cyclopentyl)acetic acid ethyl ester with 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene gives rise to a 7-oxa-1-azanorbornane cycloadduct in high yield. The formation of the bicyclic isoxazolidine arises from conjugate addition of the oxime onto the diene to afford a transient nitrone that then undergoes an intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition. Treatment of the cycloadduct with 5% Na/Hg results in reductive nitrogen-oxygen bond cleavage to furnish a spirocyclic piperidinone, which was further elaborated to an advanced intermediate employed in an earlier synthesis of halichlorine.

Domino reactions of rhodium(II) carbenoids for alkaloid synthesis.

In this tutorial review, the rhodium(II)-catalyzed domino reactions of alpha-diazo carbonyl compounds are summarized. The article will emphasize some of the more recent synthetic applications of the rhodium carbenoid cyclization/cycloaddition domino cascade for alkaloid synthesis. The many structurally diverse and highly successful examples of both oxa and azapolycyclic ring formation cited in this tutorial review clearly demonstrate that the domino cyclization/cycloaddition cascade of metallo carbenoids has evolved as an important strategy for the synthesis of nitrogen containing natural products.

A chemistry cascade: from physical organic studies of alkoxy radicals to alkaloid synthesis.

In this Perspective, I present a personal account of a succession of chemical projects that I was involved with, each of which triggered or initiated my next research undertaking. It started with my early work in the field of physical organic photochemistry, which, in turn, guided me to my current research dealing with the synthesis of biologically active alkaloids. The article highlights some of the dominant themes of my research program over the past 48 years. Subject matter that is discussed includes the generation of reactive intermediates by photoexcitation, [1,3]-dipolar cycloaddition chemistry, rhodium(II)-catalyzed domino reactions of alpha-diazo carbonyl compounds, intramolecular [4 + 2]-cycloaddition of 2-amidofurans, and the utilization of various thio fragments for the synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles.

A benzannulation protocol to prepare substituted aryl amines using a Michael-aldol reaction of beta-keto sulfones.

A practical benzannulation method to prepare variously substituted aryl amines and sulfides was developed. The approach involves a Michael-aldol reaction of beta-keto sulfones with enones followed by a subsequent condensation of the initial adduct with various amines. The base-induced Michael-aldol cascade proceeds smoothly with a number of different beta-keto sulfones, affording the adducts as single diastereomers. Heating the resulting Michael-aldol product with an amine in toluene at 120 degrees C results in the formation of a transient enamine, which then undergoes loss of phenyl sulfenic acid to furnish the aromatized amine in good yield. A related reaction also occurred when the Michael-aldol product was heated with thiols or alcohols, giving rise to aryl-substituted sulfides or ethers.

Conjugate addition-dipolar cycloaddition cascade for the synthesis of benzo[a]quinolizine and indolo[a]quinolizine scaffolds: application to the total synthesis of (+/-)-yohimbenone.

A highly efficient total synthesis of (+/-)-yohimbenone and a formal synthesis of (+/-)-emetine is described. The key element of the synthesis consists of a conjugate addition-dipolar cycloaddition of 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene with an appropriate oxime. The resulting cycloadducts are cleaved reductively to provide azapolycyclic scaffolds with strategically placed functionality for further manipulation to the target compounds.

Application of cross-conjugated heteroaromatic betaines to the synthesis of the schizozygane alkaloid (+/-)-strempeliopine.

An efficient stereocontrolled route to the isoschizozygane alkaloid core has been developed utilizing an intramolecular 1,4-dipolar cycloaddition of a cross-conjugated heteroaromatic betaine. The resulting cycloadduct undergoes loss of COS, and further reduction delivers a 5a-azaacenaphthylene intermediate that was transformed into the isoschizozygane skeleton upon treatment with acid. A variation of this tactic was then employed for a synthesis of the hexacyclic framework of the shizozygane alkaloid (+/-)-strempeliopine. The key step of the synthesis corresponds to an intramolecular 1,4-dipolar cycloaddition of a heteroaromatic betaine across a tethered 4-((2-nitrophenyl)but-3-enyl) side chain. Catalytic reduction of the nitro group followed by reaction with NBS resulted in the formation of the required pentacyclic indoline framework of the target alkaloid. Closure of the final ring of the shizozygane skeleton was carried using an oxidative cyclization.

Utilization of a Michael addition: dipolar cycloaddition cascade for the synthesis of (+/-)-cylindricine C.

A new approach to the marine alkaloid (+/-)-cylindricine C has been devised. The key element of the synthesis consists of a Michael addition/dipolar cycloaddition cascade between 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene and 9-triisopropylsilanyloxy-non-1-en-5-one oxime. The resulting cycloadduct was converted into (+/-)-cylindricine C by a sequence of reactions including a reductive cyclization, intramolecular enolate alkylation, and conjugate addition to introduce the n-hexyl side chain.

A stereoselective approach to the azaspiro[5.5]undecane ring system using a conjugate addition/dipolar cycloaddition cascade: application to the total synthesis of (+/-)-2,7,8-epi-perhydrohistrionicotoxin.

An efficient stereocontrolled route to the spirocyclic perhydrohistrionicotoxin derivative (+/-)-2,7,8-epi-PHTx (4) is described. The reaction of 2-butyl-3-(methoxymethoxy)cyclohexanone oxime with 2,3-bis(phenylsulfonyl)-1,3-butadiene gives rise to a 7-oxa-1-azanorbornane cycloadduct in high yield. The formation of the bicyclic isoxazolidine arises from conjugate addition of the oxime onto the diene to give a transient nitrone which then undergoes an intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition. Treatment of the cycloadduct with 5% Na/Hg results in reductive nitrogen-oxygen bond cleavage to furnish an azaspiro[5.5]undecane. Elaboration to the dihydropyridin-4(1H)-one 24 was followed by stereoselective conjugate addition using n-pentyl cuprate to give azaspirocycle 25. The stereochemistry of the product was deduced from an X-ray crystal structure of the corresponding N-tosylhydrazone derivative. The dominant factor controlling the stereochemistry of the conjugate addition is the A(1,3)-strain present in the planar vinylogous amide. A stereoelectronically preferred axial attack by the organocuprate at the beta-position leads to the observed diastereoselectivity. Azaspirocycle 25 was transformed into 2,7,8-epi-PHTx (4) in five additional steps. Utilizing this tandem conjugate addition/dipolar cycloaddition cascade, we have also successfully synthesized azaspiro[5.5]undecane 36, which had previously been converted into (+/-)-perhydrohistrionicotoxin (2), thereby completing a formal total synthesis of this alkaloid.

Cycloaddition across the benzofuran ring as an approach to the morphine alkaloids.

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of several amidofurans tethered onto a benzofuran ring was examined as a strategy for the synthesis of morphine. Bromo substitution on the furan ring did not provide sufficient activation to allow the cycloaddition to take place across the aromatic benzofuran. However, the presence of a large o-methylbenzyl group on the amido nitrogen atom causes the reactive s-trans conformation of the amidofuran to be highly populated, thereby facilitating its Diels-Alder cycloaddition across a tethered benzofuran.

A Rh(II)-catalyzed cycloaddition approach towards the synthesis of komaroviquinone.

Using a rhodium(II)-catalyzed cyclization/cycloaddition sequence as the key reaction step, the icetexane core of komaroviquinone was constructed by an intramolecular dipolar-cycloaddition of a carbonyl ylide dipole across a tethered pi-bond. The ylide was arrived at by cyclization of a rhodium carbenoid intermediate onto a proximal ester group. Efforts towards the preparation of the required precursor for elaboration to the natural product are discussed.

The Rhodium(II) Carbenoid Cyclization-Cycloaddition Cascade of alpha-Diazo Dihydroindolinones for the Synthesis of Novel Azapolycyclic Ring Systems.

Tandem carbonyl ylide formation-1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of alpha-diazo N-acetyl-tetrahydro-beta-carbolin-1-one derivatives occur efficiently in the presence of a dirhodium catalyst to afford bimolecular cycloadducts in high yield. The Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction also takes place intramolecularly to give products derived from trapping of the carbonyl ylide dipole with a tethered alkene. The power of the intramolecular cascade sequence is that it rapidly assembles a pentacyclic ring system containing three new stereocenters and two adjacent quaternary centers stereospecifically in a single step and in high yield.

Synthesis of (+/-)-3H-epivincamine via a Rh(II)-triggered cyclization/cycloaddition cascade.

A synthesis of (+/-)-3H-epivincamine is reported. Important steps include (1) a Rh(II)-catalyzed intramolecular [3+2]-cycloaddition of an alpha-diazo indolo amide, (2) a reductive ring opening of the cycloadduct, (3) a decarboethoxylation reaction, and (4) a base-induced keto-amide ring contraction.