10.1021/jo00009a010
The research focuses on the development of a novel approach to the synthesis of aporphinoids, a class of isoquinoline alkaloids with potential pharmacological properties. The purpose of the study was to create a more efficient method for synthesizing these complex compounds, particularly dehydroaporphines, aristolactams, and other related structures, through intermolecular benzyne cycloaddition (IBC). The researchers successfully reported the total synthesis of several isoquinoline alkaloids, including norcepharadione B, cepharadione B, dehydroanonaine, duguenaine, dehydronornuciferine, pontevedrine, 0-methylatheroline, lysicamine, and alkaloid PO-3. The study concluded that the IBC approach was highly selective and efficient, allowing for the synthesis of aporphinoids with no ring-D substituents in yields of up to 50%. Key chemicals used in the process included 1-methyleneisoquinolines, arynes, and various benzenediazonium-2-carboxylates, which served as benzyne precursors in the cycloaddition reactions. The research also explored the synthesis of aporphinoids with ring-D substituents using alkoxy-substituted benzynes and unsymmetrically substituted benzynes, demonstrating the versatility of the IBC method.