Ronny Hesse

Efficient Construction of Pyrano[3,2-a]carbazoles: Application to a Biomimetic Total Synthesis of Cyclized Monoterpenoid Pyrano[3,2-a]carbazole Alkaloids†

We have developed a highly efficient route to 2-hydroxy-3-methylcarbazole (1) via a palladium-catalyzed construction of the carbazole skeleton. Using 1 as relay compound, different methods for annulations of pyran rings by reaction with terpenoid building blocks have been tested. The Lewis acid promoted reaction of 1 with prenal (21) opened up an efficient route to girinimbine (3) and the corresponding reaction with citral (25) afforded mahanimbine (5). Oxidation of compounds 3 and 5 provided murrayacine (4) and murrayacinine (6). Following the biogenetic proposal, mahanimbine (5) has been exploited for efficient biomimetic syntheses of the cyclized monoterpenoid pyrano[3,2-a]carbazole alkaloids cyclomahanimbine (7), mahanimbidine (8) and bicyclomahanimbine (9). The interconversions of 5, 7, 8 and 9 are described and mechanistic implications are discussed. Structural assignments are unambiguously verified by X-ray crystal structure determinations. Moreover, cyclomahanimbine (7) was transformed into murrayazolinine (10) and exozoline (11).

Synthesis of Prenyl- and Geranyl-Substituted Carbazole Alkaloids by DIBAL-H Promoted Reductive Pyran Ring Opening of Dialkylpyrano[3,2-a]carbazoles†

The DIBAL-H promoted reductive pyran ring opening of dialkylpyrano[3,2-a]carbazoles provides a direct access to a broad range of prenyl- and geranyl-substituted carbazoles. Formation of a pyran ring followed by reductive ring opening represents a new method for the introduction of prenyl and geranyl groups. In the course of the present work, we achieved the first total syntheses of the following eight carbazole alkaloids: clauraila-E, 7-hydroxyheptaphylline, 7-methoxyheptaphylline, mukoenine-B (clausenatine-A), mukoenine-A (girinimbilol), mahanimbinol (mahanimbilol), euchrestine-A, and isomurrayafoline-B.

Total syntheses of murrayamine E, I, and K.

We describe efficient synthetic routes to murrayamine A (mukoenine C), O-methylmurrayamine A, mahanine, O-methylmahanine, and murrayamine D and the first total syntheses of murrayamine E, I, and K. Key steps are a palladium-catalyzed construction of the carbazole framework and an annulation of the pyran ring, which is either catalyzed by phenylboronic acid or promoted by a Lewis acid.

Synthesis of Glycoborine, Glybomine A and B, the Phytoalexin Carbalexin A and the β‐Adrenoreceptor Antagonists Carazolol and Carvedilol

We describe a regioselective synthesis of 4- or 5-substituted carbazoles by oxidative cyclisation of meta-oxygen-substituted N-phenylanilines. Using the regiodirecting effect of a pivaloyloxy group, we prepared 4-hydroxycarbazole, a precursor for the enantiospecific synthesis of the β-adrenoreceptor antagonists (-)-(S)-carazolol (5) and (-)-(S)-carvedilol (6). Regioselective palladium(II)-catalysed cyclisation of different diarylamines led to total synthesis of glycoborine (7) and the first total syntheses of the phytoalexin carbalexin A (8), glybomine A (9) and glybomine B (10). For glybomine B (10), a 5-hydroxycarbazole was converted into the corresponding triflate and utilized for introduction of a prenyl substituent.

Anti-tuberculosis activity and structure–activity relationships of oxygenated tricyclic carbazole alkaloids and synthetic derivatives ☆

A series of 49 oxygenated tricyclic carbazole derivatives has been tested for inhibition of the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a mammalian cell line (vero cells). From this series, twelve carbazoles showed a significant anti-TB activity. The four most active compounds were the naturally occurring carbazole alkaloids clauszoline-M (45), murrayaline-C (41), carbalexin-C (27), and the synthetic carbazole derivative 22 with MIC90 values ranging from 1.5 to 3.7μM. The active compounds were virtually nontoxic for the mammalian cell line in the concentration range up to 50μM.

CCDC 988854: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Ronny Hesse, Micha P. Krahl, Anne Jager, Olga Kataeva, Arndt W. Schmidt, Hans-Joachim Knolker|2014|Eur.J.Org.Chem.||4014|doi:10.1002/ejoc.201402201