Use of Imines and Iminium Salts in Alkaloid Synthesis

Abstract

The usefulness of imines and iminium salts in the convergent synthesis of alkaloids and their synthetic analogues is described. Thus the anion derived from [3,4-c]pyridin-3[1H]-one, by treatment with LDA (lithium diisopropylamide) or LHS, (lithium bis-trimethylsilylamide) reacts with 2-methyl-3, 4-dihydro- isoquinolinium salts yielding aza analogues of phthalideisoquinoline alkaloids. The condensation of the same anion with 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines has provided, in a single step, azaprotoberberines containing the benzo[a)pyrido[3,4-g]quinolizine structure found in a number of Alangium alkaloids. The reaction of methyllithium with oxoberberine as a means of introducing a methyl group C-8 is described. The resulting iminium salt was reduced to a mixture of racemic a- and B-8-methylcanadines. This reaction has been applied to the synthesis of the Alangium alkaloid (+/-)-alamaridine. Condensation of lithium salts of 3-cyano-4-methylpyridine and 3-cyano-4-methyl-5-vinylpyridine with a complex of 3 ,4-dihydroisoquinolines and trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulphonate has been studied. The amidines formed as condensation products were transformed by hydrolysis into 5,6,13,14-tetrahydro-8H-isoquino[2,1-b][2,7]-naphthyridin-8-ones, a ring system found in several alkaloids of Alangtum lamarckii. These reactions have been employed in the synthesis of the Alangium alkaloids, (±)-alangimaridine and alangimarine. The usefulness of this reaction has been further demonstrated in the synthesis of N-benzyl derivatives of 3,14-dihydronauclefine and 3,14-dihydroangustine containing 8,13,13b,14-tetrahydroindolo[2•,3•:3,4]pyrido[1,2-b][2,7]-naphthyridin- 5[7H]-one.