Nuphar indolizidine

The only asymmetric synthesis of the Nuphar indolizidine to date is due to Barluenga and co-workers (615). Their route to the (5S,8 ,8aS)-( -) enantiomer of 944 commenced with cycloaddition between the proline-derived 2-amino-butadiene 957 and imine 958 (Scheme 125). Hydrolysis of the adduct 959 gave piperidinone 960 in 51% yield and an ee of better than 99%. Once the alcohol and amine groups had been mutually protected as the cyclic carbamate 961, defimctionalization of the ketone was accomplished via an enol triflate. Chain-extension of the deprotected piperidine 962 at the hydroxymethyl substituent afforded 963, which was cyclized to the bicyclic lactam 964 simply by heating in toluene. Reduction with lithium aluminum hydride completed the synthesis of ( - )-944 ([a]n -99°, c 1.3, CH2CI2). 

Alder reaction [524, 525]. Danishefsky et al. have used nitroso dienophiles for the synthesis of mitomycin K and antibiotics of the FR 900482 family, the latter ones are structurally unique aziridino-l,2-oxazine derivatives [526-529]. An approach directed to the cephalotaxus alkaloids has been worked out by Fuchs et al. [530], and several indolizidine alkaloids have been prepared by Keck s [531] and Kibayashi s groups [532,533]. Kibayashi et al. also synthesised Nuphar piperidine alkaloids in enantiomerically pure form by means of an asymmetric nitroso Diels-Alder reaction [534]. 

The previous review on Nuphar (water-lily) alkaloids in this treatise appeared in Volume 35, and covered the period 1974-1987 (7). It overlapped in part with the treatment of simple bicyclic Nuphar metabolites in Volume 28 (7). Nuphar alkaloids include sesquiterpenoid monomeric (C15) piperidine and quinolizidine alkaloids as well as more complex dimeric (C30) sulfur-containing metabolites. Related metabolites isolated from the scent glands of the Canadian beaver, Castor fiber, also include a unique indolizidine alkaloid 944 606). Only the indolizidine and simple quinolizidine alkaloids are relevant to the present review. Compounds mentioned in the ensuing discussion are illustrated in Fig. 18. 

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