(+)‐Lentiginosine, a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of Amyloglucosidase: Synthetic Efforts and Disputes on Its Absolute Configuration

Abstract (+)‐Lentiginosine is a powerful and selective inhibitor of amyloglucosidases and has become a reference compound in the field among derivatives related to imino sugars. The present review focuses on the several total syntheses of this alkaloid, which rely on either a chiral pool or on enantioselective approaches that have appeared since its isolation in 1990. A summary of biological assays and molecular dynamic studies which allowed the assignment of the correct absolute configuration of natural (+)‐lentiginosine is reported.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)