Of isoquinoline alkaloids

The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of 78 was investigated during the synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids [65ij. No reaction occurred when solid-phase conditions were used (Florosil in DCM and CaCli) or when a variety of Lewis acids were employed (SnCU, BF3, RAICI2, Ti(z — Pr)4-TiCl4). A 56 % yield of 79 was obtained by carrying out the cycloaddition in toluene in a sealed tube at 200 °C. jS-CD catalysis in water under milder conditions (Equation 4.11) improved the conversion to 84 %. 

Intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of substituted fiirans has been investigated as a route to the synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids. Tetrahydroisoquinoline 81 was prepared from furan 80 in 40% yield <95JCS(P1)2393>. 

Table 2 Some of the physical properties of isoquinoline alkaloids [144,215] ...

Debnath D (1992) Physico-chemical studies on the interaction of isoquinoline alkaloids with nucleic acids. PhD Thesis, Calcutta Uuiversity... 

The 6,7-secoberbine alkaloids contain the four following natural products corydalic acid methyl ester (55), corydamine (56), N-formylcorydamine (57), and hypecumine (58). These bases, called 3-arylisoquinolines, were described by Shamma and Moniot (2) as a separate class of isoquinoline alkaloids. Santavy (7) classified them among benzophenanthridines. It seems, however, that they may be considered as biosynthetic intermediates between the protoberberines on the one hand and the benzophenanthridines on the other. 

FACCHINI, D., DELUCA, V., Phloem-specific expression of tyrosine dopa decarboxylase genes and the biosynthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids in opium poppy, Plant Cell, 1995, 7, 1811-1821. 

Fig. 10.8 Selected cDNAs isolated in recent years that encode enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of various classes of isoquinoline alkaloids. 6-OMT, norcoclaurine 6-0-methyltransferase 23 CYP80A1, berbamunine synthase 19 CYP80B1, (S)-A-methylcoclaurine 3 -hydroxylase 20 CPR, cytochrome P-450 reductase 29 4 -OMT, (5)-3 -hydroxy-A-methylcoclaurine 4 -0-methyltransferase 30 BBE, berberine bridge enzyme 12 SalAT, salutaridinol 7-O-acetyltransferase 28 COR, codeinone reductase.25...

Isoquinoline alkaloids. The regioselective allylation of N-acyl heterocycles (13, 10) can be used for synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids. Thus simultaneous reaction of the dihydroisoquinoline (1) with a diunsaturated acyl chloride (2) and allyltributyltin affords the 1,2-adduct (3), which undergoes a Diels-Alder cyclization... 

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. 

B. Reaction of Reissert Compounds Synthesis of Isoquinoline Alkaloids... 

The chemistry of Reissert compounds has been the subject of numerous general reviews (3-10). In 1973 Popp gave a summary on the use of Reissert compounds in the synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids and related compounds (7). We now wish to summarize new results that have appeared from 1973 to the end of 1985 for the application of Reissert compounds in the synthesis of isoquinoline as well as indole alkaloids. 

Tbe aporphines constitute one of the largest groups of isoquinoline alkaloids and have a wide range of physiological activity. For example, bulbocapinine (93) (see Scheme 15) affects the central nervous system and causes catatonia, boldine... 

Use of this coupling for synthesis of a number of isoquinoline alkaloids also has been published.2 VOF is usually used in this coupling, but this reagent can lead to overoxidation and oxidative demcthylation of aryl methyl ether groups. 

Tetrahydroisoquinoline-l-carboxylic acids have been anodically decarboxylated in MeOH-NaOMe on a graphite felt anode, giving 3,4-di-hydroisoquinolines (50-90%)417 This may be an example of a pseudo-Kolbe reaction in support of Hahn s theory of the biosynthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids by providing a laboratory analogy for the crucial decarboxylation step. 

Isoquinoline Synthesis. Olefins that contain certain neutral donor functionalities are also effectively hydrogenated. Investigation of the enan-tioselective hydrogenation of enamide substrates has resulted in a general procedure for the asymmetric synthesis of isoquinoline alkaloids. 

Another large group of isoquinoline alkaloids are the alkoxybenzo[a]-phenanthridines. They occur most frequently in the Fumariaceae, the Papaveraceae, and the Rutaceae families. Their close botanical relationship with the... 

P. L. Schiff, Jr., in The Chemistry and Biology of Isoquinoline Alkaloids (J. D. Phillipson, M. F. Roberts, and M. H. Zenk, eds.), pp. 126-141. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1985. Continues the previous review by Schiff, but in more condensed form (physical data not listed). Thirty-one alkaloids of new or revised structure are cited from the period 1981-1983, with 49 references. Methods of degradation are discussed. 

A useful and timely supplementary listing of new aporphines, oxoaporphines, phenanthrenes, and 4,5-dioxoaporphines has appeared.1 The alkaloids of Glaucium species, which include several aporphines and oxoaporphines, have been tabulated2 and a general discussion of the chemistry and biogenesis of isoquinoline alkaloids, including the aporphines, has been presented.3... 

The isolation of the cDNAs encoding the enzymes involved in diverse isoquinoline alkaloid formation in plants and microorganisms allowed the first metabolic engineering routes to be developed and paved the way for new ways of future production of isoquinoline alkaloids. For instance, transgenic opium poppy plants were created in which codeinone reductase was suppressed by RNAi, resulting in the substitution of morphine synthesis with the non-narcotic precursor reticuline [110]. In a similar approach, RNAi suppression or overexpression of salutaridinol 1-0-acetyltransferase in opium poppy led to accumulation of salutaridine or increase of morphine, codeine and thebaine content [111], suppression of the BBE led to accumulation of berberine in California poppy cells [112],... 

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