Neurotoxic quaterpyridine

The neurotoxic quaterpyridine natural product nemertelline was successfully synthesized by S. Rault et al. using a Suzuki cross-coupiing as the key step. The boronic acid coupling partner, required for the Suzuki reaction, was prepared by first subjecting 3-amino-2-chloropyridine to the conditions of the Sandmeyer reaction followed by a lithium-halogen exchange and trapping the lithiopyridine derivative with triisopropylborate. 

Cruskie, M.P., Zoltewicz, J.A., and Abboud, JLA. (1995a) Revised structure and convergent synthesis of nemertelline, the neurotoxic quaterpyridine isolated from the hoplonemertine sea worm. J. Org. Chem., 60, 7491-7495. 

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