Die Konfiguration des natürlichen (+)-Laudanosins sowie verwandter Tetrahydro-isochinolin-, Aporphin- und Tetrahydro-berberin-Alkaloide

Stephapierrines A-H, new tetrahydroprotoberberine and aporphine alkaloids from the tubers of Stephania pierrei Diels and their anti-cholinesterase activities

Eight new alkaloids, which are four new tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloids, stephapierrines A-D (1-4), and four new aporphine alkaloids, stephapierrines E-H (5-8), together with three new naturally occurring alkaloids (9-11) and thirty-four known alkaloids (12-45) were isolated from the tubers of Stephania pierrei Diels. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and physical properties. The structures of the known compounds were characterized by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those previously reported. Compound 42 exhibited the strongest acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity, which was more active than galanthamine, the reference drug. Compound 23 showed the highest butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibitory activity, which was also more active than galanthamine. Molecular docking studies are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Iridium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Hydrogenation of Sterically Hindered Cyclic Imines for Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrahydroisoquinolines

An efficient enantioselective hydrogenation of sterically hindered cyclic imines catalyzed by the Ir-^tBu-ax-Josiphos complex has been described, producing a series of useful chiral bulky tetrahydroisoquinoline analogs in high isolated yields (85-96%) with good to excellent enantioselectivities (74-99% ee). This transformation provided highly straightforward access to the useful derivatives of tetrahydroisoquinolines, which are of great potential value in drug molecule and natural product research.

Synthesis of Tetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids and Related Compounds through the Alkylation of Anodically Prepared α-Amino Nitriles

α-Amino nitrile 2a was conveniently prepared in two individual steps from chiral hexafluorophosphate salt isoquinolinium (-)-8b including anodic cyanation as an efficient means to activate the sp(3) C1-H bond of the THIQ nucleus. The lithiation of 2a was carried out in THF at -80 °C in the presence of LDA to produce a stable α-amino carbanion which was condensed on a large variety of alkyl halides. The resulting quaternary α-amino nitriles were subjected to a stereoselective reductive decyanation in ethanol in the presence of NaBH4 as the hydride donor to yield N-Boc-1-alkyl-THIQs (+)-10a-g in up to 97:3 er's after removal of the chiral auxiliary group. Examination of the ORTEP view of THIQ (+)-1f revealed that the newly created stereogenic center had an absolute S configuration. Likewise, (-)-xylopinine was synthesized in four workup steps in an overall 63% yield from α-amino nitrile (+)-2b. In this process, crystallization of an enantioenriched mixture (90:10) of (-)-norlaudanosine with 1 equiv of (-)-N-acetyl-l-leucine afforded the leucinate salt (+)-13 (99:1 dr). Similarly, (+)-salsolidine was displaced from its (-)-DBTA salt (-)-12 in 99:1 er, which was determined by proton and carbon NMR spectroscopy in the presence of thiophosphinic acid (+)-14 as the chiral solvating agent.

Synthesis and dopamine receptor selectivity of the benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline, (R)-(+)-nor-roefractine

(R)-(+)-nor-Roefractine (1) was synthesized by the Bischler-Napieralski route, using asymmetric reduction of the 1, 2-didehydro precursor imine with sodium (S)-N-CBZ-prolinyloxyborohydride. Compound 1 was able to displace [3H]-raclopride (a D2 dopamine receptor-selective ligand) from its specific binding sites in rat striatum with selectivity vs [3H]-SCH23390 (D1 dopamine receptor-selective ligand).

Stereochemical preferences for curarimimetic neuromuscular junction blockade I: enantiomeric monoquaternary amines as probes

Seven pairs of monoquaternary enantiomeric neuromuscular junction blocking agents were prepared in which the carbon asymmetry is adjacent to the quaternized nitrogen moiety. The tertiary amines from which the blocking species were obtained are carnegine, laudanosine, N-methylpavine, corydine, isocorydine, glaucine, and boldine. Curarimimetic potencies, obtained with an in vivo cat tongue-hypoglossal nerve preparation, were obtained for the enantiomeric methiodides of each of these amines. Possible contributions to activity be preferential binding to blood components or by selective inhibition of acetylcholinesterase also were studied. The combined studies indicate that there is a modest preference by the neuromuscular junction of the cat for monoquaternary blockers with the (s)-confirguation.