posted on 2017-08-31, 00:00authored byKevin
G. M. Kou, Svitlana Kulyk, Christopher J. Marth, Jack C. Lee, Nicolle A. Doering, Beryl X. Li, Gary M. Gallego, Terry P. Lebold, Richmond Sarpong
The
secondary metabolites that comprise the diterpenoid alkaloids
are categorized into C18, C19, and C20 families depending on the number of contiguous carbon atoms that
constitute their central framework. Herein, we detail our efforts
to prepare these molecules by chemical synthesis, including a photochemical
approach, and ultimately a bioinspired strategy that has resulted
in the development of a unifying synthesis of one C18 (weisaconitine
D), one C19 (liljestrandinine), and three C20 (cochlearenine, paniculamine, and N-ethyl-1α-hydroxy-17-veratroyldictyzine)
natural products from a common intermediate.