Synthesis Mediated by Ring-Closing Metathesis – Applications in the Synthesis of Azasugars and Alkaloids

The application of the ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction to the construction of a wide variety of nitrogen-containing ring systems is described. The examples include pyrrolizidine, indolizidine, and quinolizidine derivatives related to azasugars. A formal total synthesis of castanospermine (5) is presented. The utilisation of two RCM steps in the synthetic sequence leading to the multicyclic ABCDE nucleus 7 of the complex alkaloid manzamine A (6) is discussed.