AgNTf2-Mediated Allylation with Allylsilanes at C3a-Position of Hexahydropyrroloindoles: Application to Total Syntheses of Amauromine Alkaloids

Electrochemical bromocyclization enables 3,5-diversification of heterocyclic indolines

Electrophilic bromocyclization reactions are widely used as key steps in the synthesis of diverse functionalized tetrahydrofuroindolines and hexahydropyrroloindolines. However, the direct dibromination variants of these reactions for the synthesis of 3,5-dibromoindolines remain undeveloped. Here, we report a protonic-acid-promoted electrooxidative protocol for the dearomative C3,C5-dibromocyclizations of tryptophol and tryptamine derivatives. This electrosynthetic approach, which enables direct selective construction of heterocyclic 3a,5a-dibromoindolines with inexpensive, non-hazardous NaBr as both the electrolyte and Br source, provides a convenient, practical method for the late-stage 3,5-diversification of heterocyclic indolines.

Photoredox-catalyzed diastereoselective dearomative prenylation and reverse-prenylation of electron-deficient indole derivatives

Prenylated and reverse-prenylated indolines are privileged scaffolds in numerous naturally occurring indole alkaloids with a broad spectrum of important biological properties. Development of straightforward and stereoselective methods to enable the synthesis of structurally diverse prenylated and reverse-prenylated indoline derivatives is highly desirable and challenging. In this context, the most direct approaches to achieve this goal generally rely on transition-metal-catalyzed dearomative allylic alkylation of electron-rich indoles. However, the electron-deficient indoles are much less explored, probably due to their diminished nucleophilicity. Herein, a photoredox-catalyzed tandem Giese radical addition/Ireland-Claisen rearrangement is disclosed. Diastereoselective dearomative prenylation and reverse-prenylation of electron-deficient indoles proceed smoothly under mild conditions. An array of tertiary α-silylamines as radical precursors is readily incorporated in 2,3-disubstituted indolines with high functional compatibility and excellent diastereoselectivity (>20:1 d.r.). The corresponding transformations of the secondary α-silylamines provide the biologically important lactam-fused indolines in one-pot synthesis. Subsequently, a plausible photoredox pathway is proposed based on control experiments. The preliminary bioactivity study reveals a potential anticancer property of these structurally appealing indolines.

Total Synthesis of the Proposed Structure of (-)-Novofumigatamide, Isomers Thereof, and Analogues. Part I

The total synthesis of the suggested structure of (−)-novofumigatamide, a natural product containing a C3-reverse prenylated N-acetyl-exo-hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole motif fused to a 10-membered ring lactam, was achieved using the macrolactam formation in advance of a diastereoselective bromocyclization and reverse prenylation steps. Since the NMR data of the synthetic sample did not match those of the natural product, the endo-bromo precursor of a N-Boc analogue and additional diastereomers derived from l-Trp were also synthesized. Five alternative synthetic routes, which differed in the order of final key steps used for the construction of the 10-membered ring lactam and the hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole framework within the polycyclic skeleton and also in the amide bond selected for the ring-closing of the macrolactam, were thoroughly explored. Much to our dismay, the lack of spectroscopic correlations between the proposed structure of natural (−)-novofumigatamide and the synthetic products suggested a different connectivity between the atoms. Additional synthetic efforts to assemble alternative structures of the natural product and isomers thereof (see accompanying paper; DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c01228) further highlighted the frustrating endeavors toward the identification of a natural product.

Puzzling Out the Structure of Novofumigatamide: Total Synthesis of Constitutional Isomers. Part II

The total synthesis of several constitutional isomers showing a different connectivity of the macrolactam ring with the hexahydropyrrolo[2,3-b]indole core, as well as those arising from the positional exchange of the valine and the anthranilate units of the structure originally proposed for (−)-novofumigatamide, has been carried out. The constitutional isomers with 12-membered ring macrolactam connected with the pyrroloindoline framework through the indole nitrogen, and the acetyl group at the pyrrole nitrogen, of endo relative configuration, were prepared through the condensation between the tryptophan and valine edges derived from l- or d-tryptophan and l-valine amino acids. The corresponding exo products are highly unstable structures difficult to isolate and characterize. A second group of isomeric structures synthesized considered the positional exchange between the valine and the anthranilate residues within the macrolactam ring in the originally proposed macrocyclic structure. Comparison of the spectroscopic data allowed us to discard these alternative structures for the natural product.

Electrohalogenation of organic compounds

In this review we target sp, sp² and sp³ carbon fluorination, chlorination, bromination and iodination reactions using electrolysis as a redox medium. Mechanistic insights and substrate reactivity are also discussed.

Dearomatization Reactions of Indoles to Access 3D Indoline Structures

This Account summarizes our involvement in the development of dearomatization reactions of indoles that has for origin a total synthesis problematic. We present the effort from our group to obtain 3D-indolines scaffold from the umpolung of N-acyl indoles via activation with FeCl3 to the oxidative spirocyclizations of N-EWG indoles and via the use of electrochemistry.

1 Introduction

2 Activation of N-Acyl Indoles with FeCl3

2.1 Hydroarylation of N-Acyl Indoles

2.2 Difunctionalization of N-Acyl Indoles

3 Radical-Mediated Dearomatization of Indoles for the Synthesis of Spirocyclic Indolines

4 Electrochemical Dearomatization of Indoles

4.1 Direct Electrochemical Oxidation of Indoles

4.2 Indirect Electrochemical Oxidation of Indoles

5 Conclusion

Electrochemical synthesis of 3a-bromofuranoindolines and 3a-bromopyrroloindolines mediated by MgBr2

We report an efficient and environmentally friendly electrochemical approach to perform the bromo cyclization of tryptophol, tryptamine and tryptophan derivatives.

Construction of Indole Structure on Pyrroloindolines via AgNTf2-Mediated Amination/Cyclization Cascade: Application to Total Synthesis of (+)-Pestalazine B

An N-linked indole structure was constructed on the 3a-position of pyrroloindoline derivatives via a cascade process involving silver-mediated amination of bromopyrroloindolines with 2-ethynylanilines with subsequent 5- endo-dig cyclization. In this reaction, AgNTf₂ was used as a tandem reagent, which activated the bromo group as a σ-Lewis acid and the alkyne moiety as a π-Lewis acid. Switching from the initial step to the second step was conducted by controlling the temperature. This protocol was applied to the synthesis of various pyrroloindolines, α-carboline, and furoindolines and the total synthesis of a dimeric indole alkaloid, (+)-pestalazine B.

Robustanoids A and B, two novel pyrrolo[2,3-b]indole alkaloids from Coffea canephora: isolation and total synthesis

Two novel pyrrolo[2,3-b]indole alkaloids were isolated from Coffea canephora beans; their structures were confirmed by total synthesis.