Efficient and scalable enantioselective synthesis of a CGRP antagonist.

An enantioselective synthesis of the CGRP antagonist BMS-846372, amenable to large scale preparation, is presented. This new synthesis showcases a chemo- and enantioselective reduction of a cyclohepta[b]pyridine-5,9-dione as well as a Pd-catalyzed alpha-arylation reaction to form the key carbon-carbon bond and set the absolute and relative stereochemistry.

Lessons from the Total Synthesis of (±) Phalarine: Insights Into the Mechanism of the Pictet-Spengler Reaction.

The furanobisindole alkaloid, phalarine, possesses a unique structural framework within the alkaloid family of natural products. Our laboratory recently disclosed the racemic total synthesis of phalarine, featuring an efficient azaspiroindolenine rearrangement; this achievement is revisited in detail. Upon completion of the first-generation total synthesis, we explored some interesting mechanism-level issues with regard to the key azaspiroindolenine rearrangement.

Synthesis and cytotoxic evaluation of some cribrostatin-ecteinascidin analogues.

Analogues of cribrostatin IV ( 1) and the potent antineoplastic agent ecteinascidin 743 ( 2) have been synthesized. The cytotoxic activity of these compounds ( 5, 14, 20) has been determined, and the cyanoamine-cribrostatin analogue ( 14) exhibits a 20-fold improvement with regard to the natural product 1.

Total synthesis of cribrostatin IV: fine-tuning the character of an amide bond by remote control.

We report the enantioselective total synthesis of cribrostatin IV (1). Key features of this synthesis involve the convergent coupling of two highly functionalized homochiral components followed by a "lynchpin" Mannich cyclization to establish the pentacyclic core (cf. 19 --> 20).