Isoquinoline synthesis, enamide reactions

Isocyanophosphonates, aldol reactions, 227 Isoquinoline synthesis, enamide reactions, 33 Isomerization allylic amines, 9, 95 olefins, 118, 171 see also specific compounds Isopulegol, 102 Isotactic polymers, 174 chloral, 182 photoirradiation, 347 methacrylates, 181 propylene, 174 Isotacticity, 177... 

New modifications of the traditional approach to isoquinoline synthesis via carbocation intermediates continue to be reported. Abnormal products of the Bischler-Napieralski reaction were observed <97JCS(P1)2217>. A stereoselective introduction of a quaternary carbon center in the A-acyliminium cyclization (Scheme 14) of the chiral enamide 46 affords an asymmetric synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinolines <97T2449,3045>. An asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction has been developed mediated by the chiral urethane 47 <97T16327>. A Pummerer reaction of A-acyl-A-(aryl)methyl-2-(phenylsulfinyl)ethylamine allows cyclization to the 4-phenylthio-... 

The photocyclization of enamides to quinolines or isoquinolines has become an important reaction in the synthesis of alkaloids 219,358). It has recently been applied in the preparation of the isoquinoline alkaloid polycarpine 359). The principle of the reaction is demonstrated in the preparation of dihydroquinolines 360> (3.39) and of spirocyclohexaneisoquinoline derivatives (3.40) 361K In each case the electrocyclic ring closure product undergoes a subsequent 1,5-hydrogen shift. 

Somewhat more effective catalysts are obtained by replacing BINAP with TolBINAP, which is 2,2 -bis(di-p-tolylphosphino)-l,l -binaphthyl.4 The presently preferred catalysts are complexes of Ru(OCOCF3)2 with (R)- or (S)-TolBINAP, obtained by treatment of Ru(OAc)2TolBINAP with 2 equiv. of trifluoroacetic acid. Such catalysts promote hydrogenation of typical enamides in 98% ee and 98% yield. This reaction can be used to provide asymmetric synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids as well as of morphinans used as substitutes for morphine. 

A solid-phase Ugi-Reissert reaction on chloroformate resin, has been reported. The product, the ot-carbamoylated isoquinoline 230, is released by oxidative cleavage (Scheme 33a). Interestingly, the enamide moiety in the adduct can be exploited to perform this process in tandem with a Povarov MCR [189, 190]. In this way, by interaction of dihydroisoquinoline 231 with aldehydes, anilines and a suitable Lewis acid catalyst, the polyheterocyclic system 232 was prepared (Scheme 33b). The Zhu group devised an innovative approach for the synthesis of this class of compounds. They employed the heterocyclic amine 233, which was oxidized in situ to the dihydroisoquinoline 234 with IBX, to undergo the classic Ugi reaction. Remarkably, all the components are chemically compatible, allowing the sequence to proceed as a true MCR (Scheme 33c) [191]. 

The Pummerer rearrangement has been employed in tandem with other reactions to enable complex transformations to be carried out efficiently and in a one-pot manner. Studies of these have been reported mainly by Padwa who has utilized such transformations in the syntheses of natural products. A particularly intriguing cascade sequence involving the Pummerer rearrangement was employed in the synthesis of the alkaloid jamtine, 57. " Padwa et al. synthesized the bromo-enamide 55 in a 4 1 (Z/ ) mixture of isomers. Treatment of the isomeric mixture with camphorsulfonic acid caused the the sulfoxide to undergo a Pummerer/Mannich ion cyclization, which was then followed by a spontaneous Pictet-Spengler reaction to furnish the isoquinoline core. Although a 5 2 1 1 mixture of diastereoisomers was obtained, the desired diastereoisomer 56 was formed preferentially. This was attributed to a 4 r-Nazarov-type conrotatory electrocyclisation which controls the direction of closure from the a-acylthionium ion intermediate. 

---