Pyrrolizidines bromination

In an interesting fragmentation reaction, the hexahydroazocine (23) is formed by solvolysis of (22) in the presence of NaBHt in 94% yield (75TL2613). A related compound (24) can be prepared from 4-cycloheptenone oxime tosylate via the unsaturated lactam (25) (79JOC287). Whereas (25) adds bromine to the double bond, (24) undergoes a transannular reaction to give a 1-substituted pyrrolizidine (26). The latter type of reaction also occurs... 

Sorm and Beranek39 used an intramolecular acylation in their synthesis of l-azoniumtricyclo[3.3.3.0]undecane (66). Condensation of nitromethane with acrylonitrile in the presence of an alkaline catalyst resulted in the formation of tris-(2-cyanoethyl)nitromethane (60), which afforded the triethyl ester 61 on hydrolysis followed by esterification. The ester was reduced catalytically to give a pyrrolidone (62). The derivative (62) gave rise to 8-(j8-carboethoxyethyl)-3,5-dioxo-pyrrolizidine (63) on heating. Reduction of 63 resulted in the formation of 8-(y-hydroxypropyl)pyrrolizidine (64). Replacement of the hydroxy group by bromine (65), followed by cyclization, afforded the tricyclic compound 66. 

Bromine and iodine were both effective for the cyclization of l-aza-4-cyclooctene to the corresponding pyrrolizidine 3 which is obtained in good yield without conflicting amine oxidation. The cyclization of l-aza-5-cyclonene and of cyclophenylalkanamines was similarly performed (Table 6) 3-121 23>, The total stereoselectivity is dependent on either the strain connected with the polycyclic system or the tram addition to the double bond. The stereochemistry of the products was confirmed by X-ray analysis. 

A transannular route to 1-substituted pyrrolizidines has recently been reported by Wilson and Sawicki. The lactam (79) was prepared by Beckmann rearrangement of the oxime p-toluenesulfonate of cyclohept-4-enone. Reduction with lithium aluminum hydride gave the amine (80), which on treatment with bromine yielded the 1-bromopyrrolizidine (81) in one stereospecific step (95%). The stereochemistry of the product corresponds to a disfavored exo-mode of cyclization by attack of the nitrogen on the bromonium ion. Further modification of this route to produce naturally occurring alkaloids would appear feasible, but has not yet been reported. 

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