Jingjing Wu

Synthesis of Demissidine and Solanidine

Demissidine and solanidine, two steroidal alkaloids, are synthesized in eight steps from tigogenin acetate and diosgenin acetate, respectively, which involve the replacement of three C-O bonds with C-N bonds. Key transformations include a cascade ring-switching process of furostan-26-acid, an epimerization of C25, an intramolecular Schmidt reaction, and an imine reduction/intramolecular aminolysis process.

Alkynes From Furans: A General Fragmentation Method Applied to the Synthesis of the Proposed Structure of Aglatomin B

Furans are versatile synthons in organic chemistry. Described is a general method for transforming furans into alkynes by dual C-C double-bond cleavage. The reaction is proposed to proceed by sequential [4+2] cycloaddition between furan and singlet oxygen and a formal retro-(3+2) fragmentation of the endoperoxide intermediate. A wide array of furans, including those derived from sapogenins, are amenable to this reaction, thus providing the corresponding alkynoic acids in up to 88 % yields. The synthetic utility was demonstrated by a seven-step synthesis of the proposed structure of a pregnane natural product, aglatomin B, from a known intermediate.

Divergent Synthesis of Solanidine and 22-epi-Solanidine

A divergent synthesis of solanidine and 22-epi-solanidine, two 25S natural steroidal alkaloids, from 25R-configured diosgenin acetate, is described. Initially, solanidine was synthesized through a series of transformations including a cascade ring-switching process of furostan-26-acid, an epimerization of C25 controlled by the conformation of six-membered lactone ring, an intramolecular Schmidt reaction, and an imine reduction/intramolecular aminolysis process. To address the epimerization issue during Schmidt reaction, an improved synthesis was developed, which also led to a synthesis of 22-epi-solanidine. In this synthesis, selective transformation of azido lactone to azido diol and amino diol was realized through a reduction relay tactic. The azido diol was transformed to solanidine via an intramolecular Schmidt reaction/N-alkylation/reduction process and to 22-epi-solanidine via an intramolecular double N-alkylation process.