10.1016/S0040-4020(03)00936-0
The study presents an enantiospecific synthesis of the phospholipase C inhibitor (2)-hispidospermidin, a natural product with potential cell growth inhibitory properties. The synthesis approximates the architecture of a reactive intermediate that may be involved in the biosynthetic pathway of the natural product. Key chemicals used include (R)-(t)-pulegone as a starting material, farnesyl pyrophosphate as a proposed biosynthetic precursor, and a variety of reagents and intermediates such as spiro[4.5]deca-1,7-diene, cyanohydrin, and enal derivatives. These chemicals serve to construct the complex tetracyclic framework of (2)-hispidospermidin through a series of reactions, including carbonyl addition, bicyclization, and reduction steps. The purpose of these chemicals is to facilitate the formation of the target molecule's core structure and its side chain, ultimately leading to the synthesis of (2)-hispidospermidin with high stereochemical control.