H. Waldmann et al.
solid support by employing dif-
ferent benzylic residues on the
tryptophan amino group.
Because the enantiospecific
Pictet–Spengler reaction is per-
formed under strongly acidic
conditions, the base-labile hy-
droxymethylbenzoic
acid
(HMBA) linker was chosen for
attachment of the tryptophan
derivative.[17] The Dieckmann
cyclization is performed under
basic conditions, thus cleavage
from resin and subsequent cyc-
lization to the macroline ring
system were expected to occur
in a convenient one-pot reac-
tion (Scheme 4A).
Scheme 3. Synthesis of cycloocta[b]indoles in solution. a) RCHO, MgSO4, dichloromethane, RT, 3 h;
b) NaBH4, À58C, 6 h (12a: 94%, 12b: 69%, 12c: 78% (over two steps)); c) 10% TFA in CH2Cl2, methyl-4,4-
dimethoxybutanoate (9; 1.1 equiv), RT, 3 days (13a: 86% (13a/14a=25:1), 13b: 83% (13b/14b=20:1), 13c:
To gain further insight into
the stereoselectivity of the
81% (13c/14c=25:1)); d) NaH (3 equiv), MeOH, toluene, reflux, overnight (15a; 78%, 15b; 55%, 15c: Pictet–Spengler reaction on
67%). TFA=trifluoroacetic acid.
solid support, the synthetic pro-
cedure was also repeated with
Fmoc-protected l-tryptophan
were employed as the aldehydes. The crude products were
reduced to secondary amines 12 with NaBH4 at À58C over
6 h. The low-temperature conditions effectively prevented
racemization. Secondary amines 12 were obtained in yields
of 69–94%. With derivatives 12 in hand, the synthetic scope
and suitable reaction conditions of the asymmetric Pictet–
Spengler reaction were tested. Excellent diastereoselectivi-
ties were observed if a reaction time of 3 days at room tem-
perature was employed. These findings are in accordance
with the results of Cook and co-workers who reported an
enantiospecific Pictet–Spengler reaction with 1,3-stereoin-
duction to yield trans-diesters 13 in excellent yields and dia-
stereoselectivities.[13] NMR spectroscopic experiments re-
vealed a diastereoisomeric ratio of 29:1 for 13a/14a. Nota-
bly, the two other benzylic substituents at the amino group
were also tolerated without significant loss of diastereoselec-
tivity. The ring closure of diesters 13 to cylcoocta[b]indoles
15 was achieved by a subsequent Dieckmann cyclization,
which required a prior selective epimerization. After an
acidic workup, b-keto esters 15 were isolated in moderate-
to-good yields of 55–77%. The NMR spectra and optical ro-
tation value of 15a matched the data reported previously
(15a: [a]2D2 =À1778 (c=1 gdLÀ1 in CHCl3); ref. [13b]: [a]2D2 =
À177.48 (c=1 gdLÀ1 in CHCl3)). Further evidence of a cis-
disubstituted b-carboline framework is provided by a down-
field shift of C-1 and C-3 in the 13C NMR spectra, thereby
leading to signals at d=59.0 and 56.0 ppm for C-1 and C-3,
respectively.[16] Thus, the solution-phase synthesis of cyclooc-
ta[b]indoles could be achieved with various substituted ben-
zaldehydes with different electronic properties without de-
composition of the inherently labile N-b-benzyl-moiety.
Based on these successful experiments in solution, we inves-
tigated the adaption of the synthetic methodology onto a
as the starting material, thus resulting in the generation of
the enantiomeric macrolines 24 (Scheme 4B).
The established reaction sequence gave synthetic access
to more than 100 isomerically pure tetracyclic alkaloid ana-
logues with an HPLC purity of more than 90%. The result-
ing b-keto esters 21 or 24 were generally obtained in syn-
thetically very viable yields of 12–62% after six steps and
purification by preparative HPLC, thus indicating a high
overall efficiency of the synthetic sequence (see Table 1 for
representative examples). The established synthetic route is
compatible with a broad range of diversely subsituted alde-
hydes. The highest observed yield of 62% was obtained with
3-bromobenzaldehyde (21a; Table 1, entry 1). An ortho sub-
stitution in the aldehyde was also well tolerated (e.g., 21b
and 24b; Table 1, entries 2 and 18, respectively).
A modification of the synthetic protocol was necessary to
obtain macroline derivatives carrying mono- or bis-hydroxy-
benzyl moieties at the N-b-residue. The addition of DMF to
a final concentration of 10% to the reaction mixture proved
essential, which probably assures full dissolution of the elec-
tron-rich hydroxy-substituted aldehydes during the reaction.
Under these modified reaction conditions, hydroxy-substi-
tuted b-keto esters, such as 21c–f or 24d–h (Table 1, en-
tries 3–6 and 20–24, respectively), were accessible from sub-
stituted mono- or bis-hydroxybenzaldehydes and d- or l-
tryptophan in yields of up to 55%. Unfortunately, all at-
tempts to obtain the highly electron-rich tris-hydroxy deriva-
tives, for example, by employing 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzalde-
hyde, failed to deliver the desired products. In addition,
other heteroaromatic aldehydes that carry either a substitut-
ed furan, benzofuran, thiophene, benzothiophene, or pyri-
dine skeleton were subjected to the established synthetic
conditions, thus leading to, for example, N-b-heteroaromat-
11978
ꢂ 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 11976 – 11984