Use of nitrogen and oxygen dipole ylides for alkaloid synthesis

As highlighted in this mini review, a growing area of interest in organic synthesis involves the use of substituted azomethine and carbonyl ylides as 1,3-dipoles for the preparation of alkaloidal natural products. Cascade reactions proceeding by an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrogen and oxygen dipole ylides are of particular interest to the synthetic organic community because of the increase in molecular complexity involved and the high isolated yields.


Introduction
1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions are among the most powerful methods in organic synthesis. 1A particularly attractive feature is their ability to rapidly increase molecular complexity and lead to a high degree of functionality.3][4] [3+2]-Cycloadditions are also extremely useful for the synthesis of natural products such as alkaloids and other biologically important structures employing rather simple starting materials.In addition, dipolar cycloadditions using chiral substrates for enantioselective synthesis has been extensively explored since the 1990s. 5Because several reviews and related articles have recently been published dealing with the synthetic aspects of dipolar cycloaddition chemistry for the preparation of natural products, 6,7 this mini-review for Gordon Gribble's upcoming 50 th year retirement is intended to provide a selective rather than an exhaustive survey of the use of both azomethine and carbonyl ylide dipoles for alkaloid synthesis.

Dipolar cycloaddition using stabilized azomethine ylides from amino acids
Azomethine ylides have emerged as one of the more useful 1,3-dipoles for the synthesis of a variety of alkaloids. 8Several methods have been employed to generate azomethine ylides for use in dipolar cycloaddition chemistry. 3A particularly common method is the condensation of N-alkyl amino acid derivatives with aldehydes followed by decarboxylation to afford the 1,3-dipole.The Coldham group employed this method in their approach toward the synthesis of a variety of alkaloids.In a formal synthesis of deethylibophylidine, for example, heating a toluene solution of aldehyde 1 and N-allyl glycine (2) at reflux produced 3 in 42% yield (Scheme 1). 9 The N-allyl group was subsequently removed to furnish 4 in 40% yield, which represents an intermediate in the synthesis of deethylibophyllidine.

Scheme 1
Lovely et al. used a [3+2]-cycloaddition reaction as the key step in an approach to martinellic acid 13. 10 In this synthesis, the reaction of aldehyde 6 with benzyl glycine 7 produced 65% of 8 which was subsequently reduced to afford tricyclic alcohol 9 in 88% yield (Scheme 2).Compound 9 was then converted in several steps to afford triamine 10.Finally, a AgNO3 mediated guanylation of 10 with 11 gave 12 in 62% yield.This constitutes a formal synthesis of martinellic acid 13, as the hydrolysis of the ester was previously reported.

Scheme 2
Stabilized azomethine ylides can easily be formed using amino acids and their esters to generate an imine that is subsequently alkylated to generate an iminium ion.Decarboxylation or deprotonation then affords the reactive azomethine ylide.Coldham and coworkers examined the scope of this type of "condensationalkylation -cycloaddition" cascade wherein the acid-catalyzed condensation of 14a with glycine ethyl ester 15 followed by intramolecular cyclization generated azomethine ylide 16a.This 1,3-dipole then cycloadded across the pendant olefin to give 17a in 81% yield as a single diastereomer (Scheme 3). 11Likewise, 14b,c produced 17b,c in 72% and 51% yield, respectively.Alternatively, 14d underwent the cascade sequence to produce 18 in 74% yield.Presumably, the increased conformational flexibility in this system allows a transition state that gives rise the trans-fused product.Application of this cascade to the synthesis of natural products began with the exposure of 19 to glycine, giving amine 20 in 79% yield.Hydrolysis of the ketal group delivered ketone 21 in 89% yield, which was subsequently converted into aspidospermidine 22 and several other aspidospermine alkaloids through Fischer indole syntheses.

Scheme 3
Another example employing a carbonyl stabilized azomethine ylide for alkaloid synthesis was reported by Banwell in 1997. 12The pivotal step in his approach to the lamellarin class of alkaloids involved the deprotonation of an iminium ion to generate the dipole.Construction of the central pyrrole moiety of the alkaloid proceeded via an intramolecular [3+2]-cycloaddition of an isoquinoline-based azomethine ylide dipole to a suitably tethered alkyne (Scheme 4).Thus, ester 23 was first reacted with 3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-5isopropoxyisoquinoline to give salt 24.Treatment of 24 with Hunig's base followed by air oxidation of the resulting cycloadduct afforded compound 25 which was subsequently converted to lamellarin K 26 in 96% yield.

Scheme 4
In an early communication by the Coldham group in 1999, they disclosed that the key step in an approach to the manzamine alkaloids proceeded by an intramolecular azomethine ylide cycloaddition of a carbonyl stabilized dipole. 13This reaction forms rings B and C simultaneously, together with three new chiral centers and allowed a rapid access to the core ABC ring system of manzamine A. Thus, condensation of the secondary amine sarcosine ethyl ester 28 with aldehyde 27 resulted in the formation of azomethine ylide 29 (Scheme 5).Intramolecular cycloaddition resulted in the generation of the pyrrolidine ring C, together with simultaneous formation of ring B. A single diastereomeric product 30 was obtained which consisted of the desired ABC ring system of the manzamine alkaloids.

Scheme 5
In a follow up report, this same intramolecular azomethine ylide cycloaddition protocol was used by Coldham in conjugation with a ring closing metathesis to prepare the tetracyclic ABCE ring system of manzanine A 34. 14 Addition of N-allyl glycine ethyl ester to aldehyde 31 afforded the tricyclic compound 32 as the major diastereomer (Scheme 6).This compound was subsequently converted to compound 33 in five subsequent steps.The ring-closing metathesis was carried out in 75% yield thereby providing the critical tetracyclic ABCE ring system of manzamine A 34.

Scheme 6
In 2017, Banwell and coworkers reported a biomimetic total synthesis of the pentacyclic Amaryllidaceae alkaloid derivative gracilamine 37. 15 Azomethine ylide 35, produced via a Schiff base condensation of the corresponding aldehyde containing C3a-arylhexahydroindole with ethyl L-leucinate, engages in a stereoselective intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition reaction to give adduct 36 (Scheme 7).This compound was further elaborated, over eight steps, into the racemic modification of the alkaloid derivative gracilamine 37.The formation of azomethine ylide 35 and its conversion into compound 36 mimics the proposed biogenesis of the pentacyclic framework of gracilamine 37.

Scheme 7
In an approach to the stemofoline class of alkaloids, the Martin group discovered an unusual set of conditions for generating azomethine ylides.Oxidation of compound 38 under Swern conditions afforded a 5:1 mixture of 41 and 42 in 69% yield (Scheme 8). 16The formation of these two molecules can be easily rationalized via an intramolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of dipole 40, but the mechanism through which the azomethine ylide is formed under Swern conditions is not well understood.The authors proposed that the oxidized product 39a derived from 38 reacted with one of the electrophilic species formed under the reaction conditions to give 39b.A subsequent loss of a proton as well as the leaving X group would then produce dipole 40.

Scheme 8
Even with considerable experimentation, the inability to easily remove the cyano group in structures 41 and 42 necessitated an alternate route to the key azomethine ylide intermediate.Ultimately, Martin and coworkers settled on the intramolecular reaction of the imino group in compound 43 with the critical carbenoid intermediate being obtained by a rhodium(II)-catalyzed decomposition of the diazo group in 43 so as to provide dipole 44 (Scheme 9). 17Subsequent cycloaddition of the resulting azomethine ylide with the tethered alkene afforded 45 in 75% yield.Tricycle 45 was subsequently transformed into (+)-46, an intermediate used by Overman in a synthesis of (±)-didehydrostemofoline and isodidehydrostemofoline. 18 Scheme 9

Azomethine ylide generation using an iminium ion desilylation protocol
In 1984 the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides derived by a desilylation reaction attracted our attention as a particularly appealing approach for pyrrolidine synthesis.][21] Treatment of compounds of type 47 with LiF in the presence of a reactive dipolarophile afforded dipolar cycloadducts in high yield.The overall cycloaddition reaction presumably proceeds by the initial generation of an iminum ion from 47 which then is followed by desilylation to produce dipole 48.Trapping dipole 48 with a variety of dipolarophiles afforded products of type 49 in high yield.Our interest in the enantioselective synthesis of substituted pyrrolidine derivatives by this process also led us to study the [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of chiral azomethine ylides.The dipole precursors were prepared from enantiomerically pure R-methylbenzylamines, and the diastereoselectivity of the [3 + 2]-cycloaddition was studied in some detail (Scheme 10).

(±)-Indolizidine 239CD
Livinghouse and coworkers used this iminium ion desilylation protocol to generate the skeleton framework of the erythrinan family of alkaloids. 22Alkylation of dihydroisoquinoline 50 with trimethylsilylmethyl triflate gave the iminium ion 51, which was then desilylated with cesium fluoride to form azomethine ylide 52 (Scheme 11).An intramolecular cycloaddition between the ylide and the terminal acetylenic dipolarophile of 52 resulted in the formation of azatetracycle 53 that contains the core of the erythrinane scaffold.
Another related method for the generation and cycloaddition of nonstabilized N-unsubstituted azomethine ylides involves the treatment of (2-azaally)stannanes 56 with HF-pyridine by a process involving N-protonation and destannylation. 23,24Compared to other methods for azomethine ylide formation, notable features of this route include the tolerance for aliphatic groups, good trans 2,5-diasteroselectivity in the pyrrolidine product, and mild reaction conditions.An early application of this method toward alkaloids was carried out by the Pearson group and involved its use in the synthesis of (+/-)indolizidine 239CD 60, one of several natural occurring indolizidines that possess a trans 2,5-disubstituted pyrrolidine in their structure. 24Thus hydrazinolysis of phthalimide 54 gave the expected amine which was condensed with aldehyde 55 under typical imine formation conditions to produce the (2-azallyl)stannane 56 (Scheme 12).This imine was then treated with phenyl vinyl sulfone and the mixture was allowed to react with HF-pyridine to provide pyrrolidine 58 via ylide 57 as a mixture of diastereomers.Removal of the ketal group and intramolecular reductive amination created compound 59 which was subsequently converted into the desired alkaloid 60.

(±)-Demethoxyschelammericine
In a later publication Pearson described his efforts toward the total synthesis of the homoerythrina class of alkaloids including the preparation of demethoxyschelhammericine 64. 25 The key feature of this syntheses involves the successful formation of the A-C rings of the alkaloid using a tandem N-alkylation/azomethine ylide [3+2] cycloaddition (Scheme 13).This critical step features both an intramolecular N-alkylation of a tethered electrophile and an intramolecular cycloaddition of a tethered dipolarophile.

Scheme 13
The condensation of secondary N-(trimethylsilyl)methyl amines with carbonyl compounds has also been shown to be an effective method to generate unstabilized azomethine ylides upon desilylation.For example, the ACD azatricylic 69, which represents the core of the calyciphylline type A daphniphyllum alkaloid 70, was formed in 55 % yield by mixing 65 and amine 66 in DMF at rt in the presence of catalytic amounts of H 3 PO 4 (Scheme 14). 26In this cascade sequence, condensation of the amine with aldehyde 65 produced iminium ion 67.Cleavage of the silyl group then gave azomethine ylide 68 that underwent cycloaddition across the pendant electron-deficient alkene to produce 69.
There are also several examples of imidate derived azomethine ylides reported in the literature.For example, the Gin group described a clever use of these 1,3-dipoles in an approach to the azatricyclic core of some stemofoline members of the stemona alkaloid family.The formation of the azomethine ylide 72 occurred upon exposure of pyrrolidine 71 to triflic anhydride and tetrabutylammonium triphenyldifluorosilicate (TBAT; Scheme 15). 27Cycloaddition of the resulting dipole across the pendant vinyl sulfide furnished 73 in 71% yield.Enol triflate 73 was then reduced to give the saturated side-chain in 74 in 89% yield by the action of Pd/C under an H 2 atmosphere.The enolate derived from 74 was treated with ethyl iodoacetate in the presence of HMPA followed by epimerization of the alkylation product to provide 75 in 58% yield from 74.Concomitant hydrolysis of the methyl ester and the acetonide protecting group gave 76 in 96% yield, an intermediate that contained suitable functional handles that could be elaborated into stemofoline 77.

Amaryllidaceae alkaloids
Pandey and coworkers developed a AgF-mediated route to azomethine ylides starting from N,N'bis(trimethylsilylmethyl)alkyl amines and applied this method of dipole formation toward a formal total synthesis of the amaryllidaceae class of alkaloids.Exposure of 78 to AgF effected a double desilylation and oxidation to furnish a transient azomethine ylide dipole (Scheme 16). 28,29Cycloaddition of the dipole to the proximal enone fashioned tetracycle 79 in 56% yield.A base mediated hydrolysis of the benzoyl ester occurred with concomitant epimerization, giving 80 in 98% yield.Conversion of the hydroxyl group in 80 to a mesylate followed by reaction with KHMDS produced 82 in 65% yield via enolate 81.The alkene moiety in compound 84 was installed in 71% yield by a reductive elimination of an enol triflate derived from 83 using Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 and Et3SiH.The Overman group had previously synthesized pancracine 87 from compound 84, thereby resulting in a formal synthesis of this alkaloid. 30,31With the general cycloaddition strategy established, a next generation synthesis employed a chiral auxiliary to control the overall diasteroselectivity.Thus, exposure of compound 85 to AgF followed by reduction with LiAlH 4 afforded 86 in 46% yield and with 63% enantiomeric excess after recrystallization.Tetracycle 86 was then used to complete an asymmetric formal synthesis of 87 and several related alkaloids.

Daphnane alkaloids
In an approach to the compact, polycyclic core of some daphnane alkaloids, the Bélanger group employed a sequential "Vilsmeier-Haack-azomethine ylide cycloaddition" sequence (Scheme 17). 32Formamide 88 was reacted with Tf 2 O and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylpyridine (DTBMP) at rt to produce an iminium ion which underwent reaction with the silyl enol ether moiety followed by loss of triflate to produce iminium ion 89.Addition of iPr2EtN to the reaction mixture then generated azomethine ylide dipole 90 that reacted with the ,-unsaturated ester to give tetracyclic 91, a species common to both the daphnilactone B-type alkaloids 92 and yuzurimine-type alkaloids 93.Scheme 17

Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction of diazo carbonyl substrates for ylide generation
0][41] The ease of generating the dipole, the rapid accumulation of polyfunctionality in a relatively small molecular framework, the high stereochemical control of the subsequent [3+2]-cycloaddition, and the fair predictability of its regiochemistry have contributed to the popularity of the reaction. 42,43When the reacting components are themselves cyclic or have ring substituents, complex multicyclic arrays, such as those contained in drugs and natural products, can be constructed in a single step.

(±)-Aspidophytine
One of the early examples of the trapping of a carbonyl ylide dipole with a tethered -bond for alkaloid synthesis was found as the central step in my laboratory's approach toward the complex pentacyclic alkaloid (±)aspidophytine 101. 44,45The key sequence of reactions involved a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the 'push-pull' dipole 98 across the indole -system.The exo-cycloadduct 99 was the exclusive product isolated from the Rh(II)catalyzed reaction of 97 (Scheme 19).It was assumed that in this case, the bulky tert-butyl ester functionality blocks the endo approach thereby resulting in cycloaddition taking place from the less-congested exo face.Treatment of the resulting dipolar cycloadduct 99 with BF 3 .OEt 2 induces a domino fragmentation cascade.The reaction proceeds by an initial cleavage of the oxabicyclic ring and formation of a transient N-acyliminium ion, which reacts further with the adjacent tert-butyl ester and sets the required lactone ring present in aspidophytine.A three-step sequence was then used to remove both the ester and OH groups from lactone 100.Subsequent functional group manipulations allowed for the high-yielding conversion of 100 into (±)aspidophytine 101.

Synthesis of the kopsifoline skeleton
As a further extension of "push-pull" dipole cycloaddition chemistry, the Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclization/cycloaddition cascade was applied toward the hexacyclic framework of the kopsifoline alkaloids.The kopsifolines 104 are structurally intriguing compounds, related to and possibly derived from an aspidospermatype alkaloid precursor 102.A possible biogenetic pathway to the kopsifolines from 102 could involve an intramolecular epoxide-ring opening followed by loss of H 2 O as shown in Scheme 20.The interesting biological activity of these compounds combined with their fascinating and synthetically challenging structure, make them attractive targets for synthesis.Using the metal-catalyzed domino reaction as a key step, the heterocyclic skeleton of the kopsifolines could eventually be built by a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a "push-pull" carbonyl ylide dipole derived from -diazo ketoester 105 across the indole π-bond.Ring-opening of the resulting cycloadduct 106 followed by a reductive dehydroxylation step produced the critical silyl enol ether 107 necessary for the final F-ring closure.The facility and stereoselectivity of the key cycloaddition reaction was investigated in more detail using some model substrates.It was found that the heterocyclic skeleton of the kopsifoline alkaloid family 108 could readily be constructed by the proposed sequence of reactions outlined in Scheme 21. 46,47 The isolation of 106 as a single diastereomer was rationalized by recognizing that the indole moiety approaches the dipole from the least sterically encumbered position.Ring-opening of the resulting cycloadduct 106 followed by a reductive dehydroxylation step resulted in the formation of the silyl enol ether 107 necessary for the final F-ring closure of the kopsifoline skeleton (i.e., formation of 108).

Vinca and tacaman alkaloids
The total synthesis of several members of the vinca and tacaman class of indole alkaloids has also been accomplished using "push-pull' dipoles in the critical cycloaddition step. 48,49The central step in the synthesis consists of an intramolecular [3+2]-cycloaddition reaction of -diazo indoloamide 109, which delivers the pentacyclic skeleton of the natural product in excellent yield (Scheme 22).The acid lability of the oxabicyclic structure was exploited to establish the trans-D/E-ring fusion of (±)-3H-epivincamine 112.Finally, a base induced ketoamide ring contraction was utilized to generate the E-ring of the natural product.A variation of the cascade sequence of reactions used to synthesize (±)-3H-epivincamine 112 was also employed for the synthesis of the tacaman alkaloid (±)-tacamonine 113.

(-)-Vindoline
1][52][53][54][55] This unique domino cascade was used to assemble the fully functionalized pentacyclic ring system of vindoline 118 in a single step that forms four C-C bonds and three rings while introducing all the requisite functionality and setting all six stereocenters within the central ring including three contiguous and four total quaternary centers (Scheme 23).
The reaction leading to 117 is initiated by an intramolecular inverse electron demand Diels-Alder cycloaddition of the 1,3,4-oxadiazole 114 with the tethered enol ether.Loss of nitrogen from the initial Diels-Alder cycloadduct 115 provides the "push-pull" carbonyl ylide 116, which then undergoes a subsequent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with the tethered indole.Importantly, the diene and dienophile substituents complement and reinforce the [4+2]-cycloaddition regioselectivity dictated by the linking tether.The relative stereochemistry in the cycloadduct is controlled by a combination of (1) the dienophile geometry and (2) an exclusive endo indole [3+2]-cycloaddition sterically directed to the R-face opposite the newly formed fused lactam.This endo diastereoselection for the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition has been attributed to a conformational (strain) preference dictated by the dipolarophile tether. 54Cycloadduct 117 was eventually transformed into the natural product vindoline 118 in several additional steps.Extension of these cascade studies by the Boger group also provided for a total synthesis of the bis-indole alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine. 55Scheme 23

(±)-Vallesamidine
Given the success in forming novel azabicyclic systems derived from an intramolecular isomünchnone cycloaddition/N-acyliminium ion cyclization sequence, this domino strategy was also used for a formal synthesis of vallesamidine 124 via the key Heathcock intermediate 123 (Scheme 24). 56,57Thus, N-malonylacylation of the precursor amide was carried out followed by a standard diazo transfer reaction to produce the requisite diazoimide 119.The reaction of 119 with a Rh(II)-catalyst gave cycloadduct 120, which underwent a TMSOTf catalyzed ring opening to furnish enamide 121 in 78% yield.With the ring-opened lactam in hand, a Barton-McCombie deoxygenation reaction delivered 122 in 88% yield. 58Utilization of the sequential saponification/ decarboxylation protocol afforded enamide 123. 59This sequence constitutes a formal synthesis of (±)vallesamidine 124, based on the successful conversion of 123 into 124 by Heathcock and Dickman. 56,57cheme 24

(±)-Lycopodine
Another application of the domino cascade process toward the construction of alkaloids involved the synthesis of (±)-lycopodine 129 (Scheme 25). 60The isomünchnone cycloadduct 126 was formed from the Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction of diazo imide 125 and was found to be the precursor of the key Stork intermediate 128 (via 127).Formation of 128 from 127 occurred by way of a Pictet-Spengler cyclization of the N-acyliminium ion derived from 126.5][66] The rearranged product 127 was then converted into the key intermediate 128 previously used by Stork for the synthesis of (±)-lycopodine 129. 61,62 Scheme 25

Indolizidine alkaloids
A further implementation of the cascade methodology involves the efficient assembly of the indolizidine ring system by using the Rh(II)-catalyzed [3+2]-dipolar cycloaddition of the phenylsulfonyl substituted diazopyrrolidinone 130 with an appropriately substituted dipolarophile (Scheme 26).The resultant pyridone 133 represents a very versatile synthon.8][69][70] The C 6 hydroxyl substituent, protected as triflate 134, allows for an assortment of cross coupling-possibilities.The Padwa group demonstrated the versatility of the method through the synthesis of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (-)-A58365A 135, (±)-ipalbidine 136, -carbolinone 137 and a variety of other novel indolizidine-based compounds. 70Scheme 26

Mappicine ketone
An efficient synthesis of the naturally occurring oxoindolizino quinoline mappicine ketone 144 has been carried out by Greene and coworkers by making use of pyridone 139a as a key intermediate. 718][69][70] This multistep sequence proceeded smoothly and in high yield when catalyzed by rhodium(II) acetate.Hot aqueous hydrobromic acid then effected decarbomethoxylation of 139a to give 139b in 82% yield.Etherification of 139b with commercially available (E)-1-bromo-2-pentene and cesium carbonate in dimethylformamide produced the expected substitution product 139c, which cleanly underwent a Claisen rearrangement in refluxing chlorobenzene to afford the desired rearranged derivative 140 in 74% overall yield.This transformation is a rare example of a Claisen rearrangement taking place in a hydroxypyridone system 70,72,73 The -hydroxypyridone 140 was then converted into its triflate derivative under standard conditions.This was followed by Stille coupling with tetramethyltin to provide -methyl pyridone 141 in 84% yield.In the presence of rhodium(III) chloride in hot ethanol, compound 141 was rapidly isomerized to olefin 142a (91%).The success of this key transformation derives from the carbon symmetry of the -substituent in pyridone 141.

(±)-Campothecin
A related synthesis of racemic camptothecin 145 was also carried out by Greene and coworkers soon thereafter and is similarly based on the isomünchnone dipole strategy. 74The starting point commenced from the readily available hydroxyl-pyridone 139b (Scheme 28).Subsequent steps include a Claisen rearrangement of a functionalized allylic ether, a hindered Heck coupling, and a Friedländer condensation.

Atorvastatin
The well known pharmaceutical drug Atorvastatin, marketed under the trade name Lipitor, is a member of the drug class known as statins, which are used primarily for lowering blood cholesterol and for prevention of events associated with cardiovascular disease.Since Atorvastatin 153 is one of the top selling pharmaceuticals, it has been the subject of many synthetic studies aimed to improve its preparation, particularly the pyrrole core and pendant chiral diol.In a recent report, Gribble and Lopchik described the preparation of 153 in seven steps from commercially 4-fluorophenylacetic acid. 76The key step involved the treatment of 151 with N,N'-diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIPC) followed by a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the resulting münchnone mesoionic heterocycle 152 with N,3-diphenylpropiolamide as shown in Scheme 30. 77 Scheme 30

Conclusions
The application of the cycloaddition of both azomethine and carbonyl ylide dipoles for the synthesis of various alkaloids as described in this mini-review article spans a broad spectrum of organic chemistry.The regio-and stereoselectivity of the 3+2-cycloaddition reaction is now well established, making it an attractive strategic disconnection for synthetic design of various alkaloids.As is the case in all new areas of research, future investigations of the chemistry of these dipolar cycloadditions for complex heterocyclic synthesis will be dominated by the search for enantioselective synthesis.Future developments will also depend on gaining a greater understanding of the mechanistic details of this fascinating and synthetically important process.
Oxidation of 142a in two steps then selectively generated the Friedländer substrate 142b, which was reacted with o-aminobenzaldehyde to give oxoindolizino quinoline 143 in 73% yield.Ozonolysis of 143 in CH 2 Cl 2 /MeOH at -78 o C accomplished selective double-bond cleavage in 143 to provide mappicine ketone 144.