Ajmaline synthesis

Aldehyde 198 served as a key intermediate in a synthesis of the alkaloid ajmaline. The. Mannich aminomethylation transform triggers disconnection of two bonds in 198 to form dialdehyde 199, which by connective transform application can be converted to cyclopentene 200.58,59 The reduction in functional group reactivity and in structural complexity are both apparent by comparison of 198 and 200. 

During the enantiospecihc total synthesis of ajmalin-related alkaloids, (-)-suaveoline and (-)-raumacline, N-debenzylation of the hydrochloride salt of the alkaloids was performed with 10% Pd/C (0.12 mol Pd/mol compound) in absolute EtOH at room temperature and 1 atm of hydrogen for 1 or 2 hours. When this catalytic debenzylation was performed, however, using 10% Pd/C (0.28 mol Pd/mol compound) in MeOH for 5 hours, N-methyl derivatives were produced in good yield (Scheme 4.91).339,340... 

On the other hand, ( )-corynantheine was achieved from key intermediate 301, used previously in the synthesis of ajmaline (167). The fra/u-tosylhydrazone derivative 302 afforded the desired vinyl-substituted indolo[2,3-o]quinolizine 304 in moderate yield along with the corresponding ethylidene-substituted isomer. Formylation and methylation of 304 afforded finally ( )-corynantheine (164). 

N-Acyliminium ions as intermediates in alkaloid synthesis, 32, 271 (1988) Ajmaline-Sarpagine alkaloids, 8, 789 (1965), 11, 41 (1968)... 

A-Acyliminium ions are versatile intermediates for synthesis of nitrogenous compounds, particularly alkaloids [154]. The conjugate system is very electrophilic such that it can be intercepted by various donors including carbonyl compounds and jt-systems. In comparison with a,p-unsaturated ketones the replacement of the a-carbon with a nitrogen atom accentuates the reactivity of these species. Ingenious applications of the JV-acyliminium ions include service to synthesis of corydaline [155], lycoramine [156], quebrachamine [157], and ajmaline [158], to name a very few. 

Synthesis of the anti-arrhythmic drug ajmaline from Rauvolfia plants, an efficient source of several alkaloid types used in therapy, represents an even more advanced study of the total enzymatic synthesis of terpenoid indole alkaloids. Ajmaline is a class I anti-arrhythmic alkaloid because of its activity as heart muscle sodium channels antagonist [35],... 

Details of the synthesis of ajmaline by van Tamelen and co-workers have now been published.100... 

Masamune and Sato (160) also presented a formal total synthesis of ajmaline... 

The first enantiospecific total synthesis of (+)-ajmaline [(+)-17] was developed by Cook et al. 161). D-(+)-Tiyptophan methyl ester (126) was converted enantiospecifically, via intermediate 127, to the optically active )-N -benayltetracyclic ketone (-) 107, which was then transformed into the ot,P-unsaturated aldehyde (-)-128. When compound (-)-128 was stirred with 3-bromo-4-hq>tene in die Barbier Grignard process conditions the 1,4-addition products 129a,b... 

Scheme 4. Mashimo and Sato formal synthesis of ajmaline (17). Reagents i. pyrrolidine ...

For a long time, the van Tamelen synthesis of ajmaline (17) via the "deoxyajmalal system" was authoritative in the field. However, in contrast to van Tamelen and Oliver, Lounasmaa and Hanhinen 163) were unable to detect a spontaneous "biogenetic-type cyclization", and were unable to cyclize compound 138 (or similar ones) to the "deoxyajmalal ring system" (138 -> 139 -> 140) (Scheme 7). 

Sakai et cd. (169) used ajmaline (17) in their partial synthesis of (-)-20-hydroxydihydrorankinidine (146) via die sarpagine analog 147 (Scheme 14). 

The tetracyclic ketone " (83) has been elaborated, via an intermediate in Masamune s synthesis,into ajmaline, and also used to derive (+ l-isoajmaline (84a) (Scheme 11). 

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