Towards the Sarpagine-Ajmaline-Macroline Family of Indole Alkaloids: Enantioselective Synthesis of an N-Demethyl Alstolactone Diastereomer

the strategy involving the use of functionalized tetrahydro-6H-cycloocta[b]indol-6-one is reported as a key intermediate for synthesis of members of the sarpagine-ajmaline-macroline family of monoterpene indole alkaloids. The desired tricycle was synthesized through the following key steps: 1) Evans' syn-selective aldolization; 2) Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling using the phenylthiol ester of 3-chloropropanoic acid as a surrogate of acrylic thioester for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indoles; and 3) ring-closing metathesis (RCM) for the formation of the eight-membered ring. An N-allylation followed by intramolecular 1,4-addition was planned for synthesis of the vobasine class of natural products. However, attempted cyclizations under a diverse set of conditions involving anionic, radical, and organopalladium/organonickel species failed to produce the bridged ring system. On the other hand, esterification of the pendant primary alcohol function with acetoacetic acid, followed by intramolecular Michael addition, afforded the desired tetracycle with excellent diastereoselectivity. Subsequent functional group manipulation and transannular cyclization of the amino alcohol afforded the N(1)-demethyl-3,5-diepi-alstolactone. We believe that the same synthetic route would afford the alstolactone should the amino alcohol with appropriate stereochemistry be used as the starting material.

"Divergent Total Synthesis of (-)-Rhazinilam, (-)-Leucomidine B and (+)-Leuconodine F" and "Synthetic Studies Towards Sarpagine-Related Indoles"

Dylan Jean Robert Dagoneau

The work presented in this thesis focuses on the synthesis of monoterpene indole alkaloids. The first part describes the divergent total synthesis of (-)-rhazinilam, (-)-leucomidine B and (+)-leuconodine F, three structurally distinct natural products of the Aspidosperma family. The key step involves the heteroannulation of an advanced tetrahydropyridine with bromoacetaldehyde or oxalyl chloride in order to afford the corresponding tetrahydroindolizine and 2,3-dioxopyrrole moieties, respectively. By fine tuning of the reaction conditions, the former was converted into rhazinilam while the latter led to the syntheses of leucomidine B and leuconodine F. In the case of leucomidine B, the development of a substrate-directed diastereoselective reduction of a sterically unbiased double bond is also discussed. The second part details the synthetic studies towards various members of the Sarpagan family. After the exploration of several strategies and indoles alkaloids, the enantioselective total synthesis of N(1)-demethyl-3,5-diepi-alstolactone was accomplished. This synthesis features three key points: 1) the incorporation of a vinyl ketone function in the C-2 position of indole by using the Liebeskind-Srogl coupling in order to afford, after ring-closing metathesis, an advanced eight-membered cyclic enone, 2) a highly diastereoselective intramolecular Michael addition and 3) the formation of an azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane bridged system from the corresponding eight-membered ring via a dehydration / transannular cyclization process.

EPFL2017

Total Synthesis of Alstilobanine C, Undulifoline and Alstilobanine B

Nicolas David Gaeng

The total synthesis of pentacyclic monoterpene indole alkaloids is the focus of this thesis. Total syntheses of (±)-alstilobanine C, (±)-undulifoline and (±)-alstilobanine B, three natural products from the Ulean family of alkaloids, were accomplished. The characteristic features of our synthesis included: a) a domino sequence involving a highly diastereoselective Michael addition followed by chemoselective C-acylation of the resulting enolate by Mander¿s ester; b) an unprecedented Lewis acid mediated intramolecular addition of enolate to oxonium, generated in situ from MOM protective group; c) a sequence of chemoselective reduction/indolization/intramolecular aza-Michael addition. This domino process afforded directly the (±)-alstilobanine C, a pentacyclic monoterpene indole alkaloid in 87% yield. Reductive N-methylation of (±)-alstilobanine C provided (±)-undulifoline which, upon N-oxidation, was further converted to (±)-alstilobanine B. Enantioselective total synthesis of the same natural products through a different synthetic route is presented. After exploring different unsuccessful strategies, an enzymatic desymmetrization of a meso compound was adopted for the synthesis of enantioenriched cyclopentenone intermediate. Applying the two domino sequence developed previously, namely, Michael addition/C-acylation and oxepane formation, an efficient synthesis of the oxobicyclo[4.2.1]nonane was realized. A palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative cross-coupling, a methodology developed in our group, afforded an advanced bicyclic intermediate with all the carbon and functional groups needed to accomplish the total synthesis. However, conversion of the vinyl group to alkylazide or its synthetic equivalent proved to be difficult in spite of the efforts dedicated to this seemingly trivial transformation.

EPFL2018

Total Synthesis of Aspidosperma Family Indole Alkaloids through the iORC Domino Process

Olivier Wagnières

This thesis describes a unified strategy for the synthesis of monoterpene indole alkaloids of the Aspidosperma family. These syntheses feature two key steps: (1) a palladiumcatalyzed decarboxylative vinylation that provides quick access to cyclopentene intermediates containing all of the carbons present in the natural products and (2) an integrated oxidation/reduction/cyclization (iORC) sequence for skeletal reorganisation that converts the cyclopentenes to the corresponding pentacyclic structures of the natural products. By incorporation of a geometric constraint to the iORC substrates, both the chemoselectivity (C7 versus N1 cyclization) and the stereoselectivity (trans- versus cis-fused ring system) of the cyclization process can be controlled. Using this method, we achieved the racemic total synthesis of aspidospermidine and dehydroaspidospermidine in seven steps; both of which feature a cis-fused ring system. We then accomplished a ten-steps synthesis of kopsihainanine A featuring a trans-fused ring system. The work towards the total synthesis of aspidoalbidine and kopsinitarine E using the same two key steps was attempted, but was not completed in the time provided. This PhD will also cover our synthetic efforts towards the alkaloidminfiensine, featuring a domino reduction/cyclization sequence performed prior to the development of the iORC process.

EPFL2015