Anionic polycyclization entry to tricycles related to quassinoids and terpenoids: a stereocontrolled total synthesis of (+)-cassaine.

A full account of our anionic polycyclization approach to access highly functionalized tricycles related to quassinoids and terpenoids from several optically active bicyclic enone systems and Nazarov reagents is presented. (+)-Carvone is the only chiral source used to fix the entire stereochemistry of all of the tricycles, and the stereochemical outcome of this process was unambiguously determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The utility of this strategy was demonstrated by the stereocontrolled construction of advanced tricycles related to the highly potent anticancer natural product bruceantin, a member of quassinoid family, and the total synthesis of the cardioactive terpenoid (+)-cassaine, a nonsteroidal inhibitor of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.

Total synthesis of (+)-cassaine utilizing an anionic polycyclization strategy.

A stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-cassaine (1) via an anionic polycyclization methodology is described. Commercially available (+)-carvone (5), the only chiral source, was used to fix the entire stereochemistry of the natural product. Anionic polycyclization of a new substituted 2-(methoxycarbonyl)cyclohex-2-en-1-one (4) with known 1-phenylysulfinyl-3-penten-2-one (3) provided the versatile tricycle (2) with requisite stereochemistry.

Versatile strategy to access tricycles related to quassinoids and triterpenes.

The reactivity of two new bicyclic cyclohexenones (13 and 27) with several Nazarov reagents is presented. A flexible synthetic strategy is developed and provides access to highly substituted tricycles related to quassinoids and triterpenes.