Steroid-derived family natural products

In the laboratory of E.J. Corey, the first synthesis of nicandrenones (NIC), a structurally complex steroid-derived family of natural products, was accomplished. The side chain of NIC-1 was constructed from the known six-membered lactone which was converted to the Weinreb s amide by treating it with excess MeNH(OMe) HCI and trimethyl-aluminum. The resulting primary alcohol was protected as the TBS ether. The ethynylation of this amide was carried out by reaction with two equivalents of lithium trimethylsilylacetylide to afford an ynone, which was reduced enantioselectively to the corresponding propargylic alcohol using CBS reduction. 

Among the worldwide total of 30000 known natural products, about 80% stems from plant resources. The number of known chemical structures of plant secondary metabolites is four times the number of known microbial secondary metabolites. Plant secondary metabolites are widely used as valuable medicines (such as paclitaxel, vinblastine, camptothecin, ginsenosides, and artemisinin), food additives, flavors, spices (such as rose oil, vanillin), pigments (such as Sin red and anthocyanins), cosmetics (such as aloe polysaccharides), and bio-pesticides (such as pyrethrins). Currently, a quarter of all prescribed pharmaceuticals compounds in industrialized countries are directly or indirectly derived from plants, or via semi-synthesis. Furthermore, 11% of the 252 drugs considered as basic and essential by the WHO are exclusively derived from plants. According to their biosynthetic pathways, secondary metabolites are usually classified into three large molecule families phenolics, terpenes, and steroids. Some known plant-derived pharmaceuticals are shown in Table 6.1. 

Stereoparents are derived from the common names of natural products. The following discussion focuses on stereoparents from the steroid, alkaloid or terpene classes. The stereoparent is the simplest member of a family of related, cyclic structures with complex stereochemistry. The stereochemistry is given by a stereospecific structure diagram which appears in the CA Chemical Substance Index this is illustrated by cholestane (Figure 4). Stereochemistry is indicated in the diagram by dotted lines (a bonds), if the substituent is below the plane of the ring, and wedged lines O bonds), if it is above the plane. 

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