In this paper,we report a full account of the synthesis of dimeric hexahydropyrroloindole alkaloids and its analogues.The key feature of our new strategy is the novel catalytic copper(10%)mediated intramolecular arylations of o-haloanilides followed by intermolecular oxidative dimerization of the resulting oxindoles in one pot.This sequential reaction leads to the key intermediates for the synthesis of(+)-chimonanthine,(+)-folicanthine,(-)-calycanthine and(-)-ditryptophenaline.Graphical Abstract In the presence of catalytic amount of cuprous iodide(10%),an intramolecular arylation of ohaloanilides followed by an intermolecular oxidative dimerization of the resulting oxindoles leads to a commonintermediate for the synthesis of(+)-chimonanthine,(+)-folicanthine and(-)-calycanthine.Based on this cascade sequence,we also developed a flexible strategy towards the asymmetric syntheses of dimeric HPI alkaloids(-)-ditryptophenaline and its analogues.
Structure units containing all-carbon quaternary stereogenic center are found in many bioactive natural products. However, enantioselective construction of this type of structure units has been a formidable challenge for synthetic community due to the steric hindrance enforced by all-carbon quatemary stereocenters. In this review, we present the achievements made by Chinese scientists in the area of asymmetric synthesis of all-carbon quaternary stereocenters in natural products during the past two years.
