Abstract:
Indolizidine is a major group of alkaloids, many of which possess interesting biological activities. Herein we report our synthetic studies toward two selected indolizidine alkaloids; Crispine A is a benzoindolizidine alkaloid which was isolated from the Chinese plant Carduus crispus. It has been used as folk medicine for treatment of stomachache and rheumatism and was recently also found that it inhibits the growth of cancer. We used Nacyliminium ion cyclization to construct the tricyclic dibenzylamino benzoindolizidine core of crispine A. Treatment of this reactions product with excess iodomethane in expecting Hoffmann elimination resulted in unexpected deamination. This serendipitously gave a known intermediate in a previously reported synthesis of crispine A.; Lentiginosine is a dihydroxylated indolizidine alkaloid. It was isolated from leaves of Astragalus lentiginosus. Biological activity studies have found that it is a glucosadase inhibitor and an anti-HIV agent. We used N-acyliminium ion cyclization and subsequent Cope elimination to synthesized a bicyclic diene indolizidinone intermediate for lentiginosine synthesis, albeit low yield was obtained in the last step. In addition, we plan to use N-acyliminium ion cyclization in tandem with lactonization in synthesis of another biologically active alkaloid, stemoamides tricyclic fused pyrorodinone-azepine-J-lactonestructure (tricyclic 5-7-5 system). In this thesis we report the progress of a model study aiming to create a tricyclic 5-6-6 system using the same reaction sequence as proof of concept.