A facile synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids: oxynitidine and oxysanguinarine using lithiated toluamide–benzonitrile cycloaddition

Reaction Outcome Critically Dependent on the Method of Workup: An Example from the Synthesis of 1-Isoquinolones

A striking dependence on the method of workup has been found for annulation of benzonitriles ArC≡N to N-methyl 2-toluamide (1), facilitated by n-BuLi (2 equiv): quenching the reaction by a slow addition of water produced the expected 1-isoquinolones 2; by contrast, slow pouring of the reaction mixture into water afforded the cyclic aminals 5 (retaining the NMe group of the original toluamide). The mechanism of the two processes is discussed in terms of the actual H⁺ concentration in the workup. Both 2 and 5 were then converted into the corresponding 1-chloroisoquinolines 3, coupling of which, mediated by (Ph₃P)₂NiCl₂/Zn, afforded bis-isoquinolines 4.

Pd-Catalyzed C(sp2)-H carbonylation of 2-benzylpyridines for the synthesis of pyridoisoquinolinones

An efficient synthesis of pyridoisoquinolinones, through Pd-catalyzed carbonylative annulation of 2-benzylpyridines, has been developed. The pyridinyl moiety in the substrate acts as both a directing group and an internal nucleophile for sp² C-H activation and pyridocarbonylation. The ready availability of 2-benzylpyridines as well as the operational practicality makes this transformation potentially useful for the synthesis of analogues of protoberberine alkaloids.

Regioselective decarboxylative cross-coupling of carboxy isoquinoline N-oxides

A straightforward method for direct decarboxylative arylation of 1- and 3-carboxy isoquinaldic acid N-oxides with aryl iodides is reported. The reaction proceeded selectively at the carboxy function site to exclusively give the corresponding C-1 or C-3 arylated product. This methodology tolerates various aryl iodides substituted by electronically different groups. Combined with subsequent Reissert-Henze chlorination and SNAr amination, the decarboxylative arylation provides an efficient access to 1,3-functionalized isoquinoline-based antitumor agent.

Synthesis, structure, antimycobacterial and anticancer evaluation of new pyrrolo-phenanthroline derivatives

A study concerning design, synthesis, structure and in vitro antimycobacterial and anticancer evaluation of new fused derivatives with pyrrolo[2,1-c][4,7]phenanthroline skeleton is described. The strategy adopted for synthesis involves a [3 + 2] dipolar cycloaddition of several in situ generated 4,7-phenanthrolin-4-ium ylides to different substituted alkynes and alkenes. Stereo- and regiochemistry of cycloaddition reactions were discussed. The structure of the new compounds was proven unambiguously, single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies including. The antimycobacterial and anticancer activity of a selection of new synthesized compounds was evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv under aerobic conditions and 60 human tumour cell line panel, respectively. Five of the tested compounds possess a moderate antimycobacterial activity, while two of the compounds have a significant antitumor activity against renal cancer and breast cancer.

Preparation of amino-substituted indenes and 1,4-dihydronaphthalenes using a one-pot multireaction approach: total synthesis of oxybenzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids

Allylic trichloroacetimidates bearing a 2-vinyl or 2-allylaryl group have been designed as substrates for a one-pot, two-step multi-bond-forming process leading to the general preparation of aminoindenes and amino-substituted 1,4-dihydronaphthalenes. The synthetic utility of the privileged structures formed from this one-pot process was demonstrated with the total synthesis of four oxybenzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids, oxychelerythrine, oxysanguinarine, oxynitidine, and oxyavicine. An intramolecular biaryl Heck coupling reaction, catalyzed using the Hermann-Beller palladacycle was used to effect the key step during the synthesis of the natural products.

A Three-Component Reaction between Azaarenes (Phenanthridine, Quinoline or Isoquinoline), Acetylenic Esters and Phenol Derivatives

Three component condensation reactions between azaarenes (phenanthridine, quinoline or isoquinoline) and acetylenic esters were undertaken in the presence of phenol derivatives (2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-dimethylphenol, 4-methylphenol and 4-chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol) for generation of C-arylation in good yields. The reactions proceeded smoothly at room temperature without using any catalyst.

In vitro leishmanicidal activity of benzophenanthridine alkaloids from Bocconia pearcei and related compounds

Leishmanicidal activities of benzophenanthridine alkaloids isolated from fruits of Bocconia pearcei and their derivatives were examined. Seven benzophenanthridine compounds were isolated from the methanolic extracts of B. pearcei. Among them, dihydrosanguinarine showed the most potent leishmanicidal activities (IC(50) value: 0.014 microg/ml, respectively). To examine the structure-activity relationship of the benzophenanthridine skeleton, the leishmanicidal activities for 32 synthetic samples were examined. The existence of bulky groups at the C(7)-C(8) position was found to enhance the activity. On the other hand, the bulkiness at the C(2)-C(3) position on the D-ring, a carbonyl group at C-6, substitution at C-6 and cleavage or saturation of the C(5)-C(6) bond reduced activity. A methyl group on nitrogen of the C-ring was thought to be necessary for significant activity.

Protecting-group-free total synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids by nickel-catalyzed annulation of o-halobenzaldimine with an alkyne as the key step

An efficient short total synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids including oxyavicine, oxynitidine, and oxysanguinarine is described. Thus, N-methyl-o-bromobenzaldimines 1 b-d undergo regioselective cyclization with 4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)but-3-yn-1-ol (2 b) in the presence of [Ni(cod)(2)] (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene). In situ oxidation of the resultant isoquinolinium salts gives isoquinolinone derivatives 5 b-d with benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl substitution at the C(3) atom and a (CH(2))(2)OH group at the C(4) atom. Later, oxidation of the alcohol group in 5 b-d to the aldehyde moiety followed by acid-catalyzed cyclization and dehydration completes the total syntheses to give oxyavicine, oxynitidine, and oxysanguinarine in 67, 65, and 60 % yields, respectively. The synthesis requires four steps from o-bromobenzaldehyde derivatives. Transformations of these alkaloids to the other alkaloids in this family are also discussed herein.

Convenient synthesis of indeno[1,2-c]isoquinolines as constrained forms of 3-arylisoquinolines and docking study of a topoisomerase I inhibitor into DNA-topoisomerase I complex

11-hydroxyindeno[1,2-c]isoquinolines 12a-c were prepared as constrained forms of 3-arylisoquinolines through an intramolecular cyclization reaction. Among the synthesized compounds, the 11-(i)butoxy analog 15l displayed potent in vitro cytotoxicity against four different tumor cell lines as well as topoisomerase 1 inhibitory activity. A FlexX docking study was performed to explain the topoisomerase 1 activity of 15l.

Total Synthesis of Oxyfagaronine, Phenolic Benzo[c]phenanthridine and General Synthetic Way of 2,3,7,8- and 2,3,8,9-Tetrasubstituted Benzo[c]phenanthridine Alkaloids

Benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids such as oxynitidine, oxysanguinarine, oxyavicine and phenolic oxyfagaronine were synthesized from easily available starting benzonitriles 5 and toluamides 6 using a lithiated toluamide-benzonitrile cycloaddition reaction. The coupling reaction provided 3-arylisoquinolinones that were transformed to the benzo[c]phenanthridones. This method is highly efficient and could be useful for preparing diverse substituted aromatic benzo[c]phenanthridine compounds on a multi gram scale.

β-Phenylethylamines and the isoquinoline alkaloids

This review covers beta-phenylethylamines and isoquinoline alkaloids derived from them, including further products of oxidation, condensation with formaldehyde and rearrangement, some of which do not contain as isoquinoline system, together with napthylisoquinoline alkaloids, which have a different biogenetic origin. The occurrence of the alkaloids with the structures of new bases, together with their reactions and syntheses, are reported. The literature from July 2003 to June 2004 is reviewed, with 145 references cited.

Synthesis of Oxychelerythrine Using Lithiated Toluamide-Benzonitrile Cycloaddition

Oxychelerythrine, benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid, was synthesized from easily available starting toluamide 5 and benzonitrile 6 using toluamide-benzonitrile cycloaddition reaction in 6 steps.