10-Nornaltrexones (3-(cyclopropylmethyl)-4a,9-dihydroxy-2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-benzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-7(7aH)-one, 1) have been underexploited in the search for better opioid ligands, and their enantiomers have been unexplored. The synthesis of trans-isoquinolinone 2 (4-aH, 9-O-trans-9-methoxy-3-methyl-2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-benzofuro[3,2-e]isoquinolin-7(7aH)-one) was achieved through...

A two-step route for the enantioselective construction of the tetracyclic ring system of uleine alkaloids, involving the stereoselective conjugate addition of an appropriate indole-containing nucleophile to a chiral bicyclic delta-lactam and the subsequent cyclization on the indole 3-position of the resulting 4,5-disubstituted 2-piperidone, has culminated in the formal total synthesis of severa...

An investigation of Thapsia garganica afforded a series of tetracyclic C-19 dilactones, whose production was dependent on the time and location of the collection. These unusual tetrahomosesquiterpenoids are presumably biosynthesized via a carbon dioxide-triggered electrophilic polyolefin cyclization. Despite the structural differences with thapsigargin, these compounds showed SERCA-inhibiting p...

A concise, diastereoselective total synthesis of (±)-cortistatin J has been completed in 20 steps from furan. Key steps include an intramolecular [4 + 3] cyclization of a disubstituted furan with a (Z)-2-(trialkylsilyloxy)-2-enal to construct the tetracyclic core and a (Z)-vinylsilane/iminium ion cyclization to form the A ring.

An enantioselective strategy for the synthesis of tetracyclic motif 5, representing the northern fragment of norzoanthamine, is presented. Key to the strategy is the use of two asymmetric Robinson annulation reactions that produce the tricyclic ABC ring system with excellent stereoselectivity. Further functionalization at the periphery of the C ring produces compound 5 containing six contiguous...

The cascade rearrangement of chiral enediynes 1c-e, involving successively 1,3-proton shift, Saito-Myers cyclization, 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer, and intramolecular coupling of the resulting biradical, proceeded at 80 °C to form tri- and tetracyclic heterocycles possessing a quaternary stereogenic center with a very high level of memory of chirality.

An efficient approach toward the synthesis of the 6,6,5,7-tetracyclic core of the daphnilongeranin B, a Daphniphyllum alkaloid, is reported. The bridged 6,6-bicyclic system was constructed using a gold(i) catalysed Conia-ene reaction, while the 5- and 7-membered rings were assembled by two diastereoselective Michael addition reactions, respectively.

The preparation of the diastereomerically pure beta-tetralone ketal 4 is reported. Intramolecular alkylidene C-H insertion followed by hydrolysis of 4 proceeded to give the enantiomerically pure cyclopentene 15. The key step in this synthesis was the bis-intramolecular cyclization of keto aldehyde 2 to give the tetracyclic intermediate 20. Enone 20 was converted over several steps to (-)-morphi...

The tetracyclic core of the integrastatin natural products has been prepared in a convergent and rapid manner. Our strategy relies upon a palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative cyclization to form the central [3.3.1]-dioxabicycle of the natural product core. Overall, the core has been completed in only 4 linear steps from known compounds.

A highly efficient and straightforward three-component cascade reaction was developed to synthesize benzo[g]imidazo[1,2-a]quinolinedione derivatives from heterocyclic ketene aminals (HKAs), aldehydes, and 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (HNQ) via Et(3)N-catalyzed tandem [3 + 2 + 1] annulation under solvent-free conditions. The reactions were very mild, convenient and highly regioselective to form ...