horsfiline and coerulescine

The first enantioselective total syntheses of architecturally interesting prenylated pyrroloindole alkaloids, (-)-pseudophrynamines 272A (3d) and 270 (3b), have been achieved starting from enantioenriched 2-oxindoles having all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. A common strategy involving a thio-urea catalyzed aldol reaction is employed for the total synthesis of both spiro(pyrrolidinyl-oxindole) and hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole alkaloids.

Topics: Aldehydes; Aniline Compounds; Catalysis; Indole Alkaloids; Indoles; Molecular Structure; Oxindoles; Physostigmine; Prenylation; Spiro Compounds; Stereoisomerism

(-)-Horsfiline and (-)-coerulescine were synthesized through three one-pot operations in 33 and 46% overall yield, respectively. Key to the success was the efficient use of a diarylprolinol silyl ether to catalyze the asymmetric Michael addition of nitromethane to a 2-oxoindoline-3-ylidene acetaldehyde. This allowed the all-carbon quaternary, spirocyclic carbon stereocenter to be constructed in good yield with excellent enantioselectivity.

Topics: Acetaldehyde; Aniline Compounds; Catalysis; Methane; Nitroparaffins; Spiro Compounds; Stereoisomerism

An efficient and novel procedure for a copper catalyzed domino coupling reaction has been developed, which afforded various oxindoles in good to excellent yields with tolerance of various substituents. In addition, this method could be applied to synthesize horsfiline and coerulescine in few steps with high total yields.

Topics: Aniline Compounds; Catalysis; Copper; Indoles; Oxindoles; Spiro Compounds

Expedient routes to three classes of novel spiro-fused pyrrolidine, piperidine, and indoline heterocycle scaffolds are described. These three-dimensional frameworks, which conform to the "rule of three", are suitably protected to allow for site-selective manipulation and functionalization. Different modes of substrate control were explored, which allow for good to excellent levels of diastereoselectivity and dispense with the need for additional chiral reagents or catalysts. The concepts developed were applied in short, formal syntheses of (±)-coerulescine and (±)-horsfiline.

Topics: Aniline Compounds; Catalysis; Indoles; Lactams; Molecular Structure; Oxindoles; Piperidines; Pyrrolidines; Spiro Compounds; Stereoisomerism

Irradiation of a tryptamine linked through its side-chain nitrogen to an alkylidene malonate residue results in an intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition to the indole 2,3-double bond. The resultant cyclobutane undergoes spontaneous retro-Mannich fission to produce a spiro[indoline-3,3'-pyrrolenine] with relative configuration defined by the orientation of substituents in the transient cyclobutane. The tandem intramolecular photocycloaddition-retro-Mannich process, abbreviated as TIPCARM, leads to a spiropyrrolidine which is poised to undergo a second retro-Mannich fragmentation that expels the malonate unit and generates transiently an indolenine. The latter undergoes rearrangement to a beta-carboline, which upon brominative oxidation undergoes further rearrangement to an oxindole. With tryptamine as starting material, the entire sequence leads to the alkaloid (+/-)-coerulescine. Starting from 5-methoxytryptamine, a parallel series affords (+/-)-horsfiline. Modification of the malonylidene unit to include an isobutyl substituent at C3 affords a photosubstrate which also undergoes the TIPCARM process. In this case, a 2'-isobutyl-substituted spiro[indoline-3,3'-pyrrolenine] results. This undergoes stereoselective hydride reduction to give a product with relative orientation at the spiro carbon and the new stereocenter bearing the isobutyl appendage corresponding to that of the alkaloid elacomine. From tryptamine, the sequence paralleling that leading to coerulescine and horsfiline terminates at 6-deoxyelacomine, whereas 6-methoxytryptamine as starting material affords (+/-)-elacomine itself.

Topics: Aniline Compounds; Indoles; Photochemical Processes; Spiro Compounds

A brief, efficient and economical synthesis of the spiropyrrolidinyloxindoles, horsfiline and coerulescine, has been achieved, starting from itaconic acid and, respectively, p-anisidine or o-iodoaniline. Tandem radical cyclisation of iodoaryl alkenyl azides is the key step in both syntheses.

Topics: Alkenes; Aniline Compounds; Chemistry, Organic; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Models, Chemical; Spiro Compounds; Succinates