Isofebrifugine antimalarial

The antimalarial properties attributed to preparations from Dichroa febrifuga by the Chinese were confirmed about 1944 and two alkaloids, febrifugine (999) and isofebrifugine (1000), were isolated eventually. After difficult structural elucidations, syntheses of ( )-febrifugine followed it proved to be half as active as the natural material, itself far better than quinine, but the therapeutic index was disappointingly low (67HC(24-l)490). 

The enantioselective synthesis of antimalarial (+)-febrifugine and (+)-isofebrifugine alkaloids was achieved through the 1,3-DC of (S)-5-alkoxy-2,3,43-lctrahydropyridine-l-oxide 76 with allyl alcohol followed by hydrogcnolytic N-O bond fission and suitable elaboration of the product <01OL953>. 

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