A General Synthetic Entry to Strychnos Alkaloids of the Curan Type via a Common 3a-(2-Nitrophenyl)hexahydroindol-4-one Intermediate. Total Syntheses of (±)- and (−)-Tubifolidine, (±)-Akuammicine, (±)-19,20-Dihydroakuammicine, (±)-Norfluorocurarine, (±)-Echitamidine, and (±)-20-Epilochneridine1

A general strategy for the synthesis of pentacyclic Strychnos alkaloids with the curan skeleton has been developed. It utilizes 3a-(2-nitrophenyl)hexahydroindol-4-one ( 23 ), which was prepared from 2-allyl-2-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,3-cyclohexanedione ( 15 ), as the common, pivotal intermediate. Three different procedures have been employed for the closure of the bridged piperidine D ring from 23: (i) an intramolecular Michael-type conjugate addition; (ii) a Ni(COD) 2 -promoted biscyclization that assembles B and D rings in a single synthetic step, and (iii) an intramolecular cyclization of an enone−propargylic silane system. When necessary, depending on the procedure used, introduction of the oxidized one-carbon substituent at C-16, closure of the indole ring, and/or adjustment of the functionality of the C-20 two-carbon chain constitute the last stages of the synthetic route to the title alkaloids. The procedure involving the cyclization of a propargylic silane has been successfully extended to the enantiospecific synthesis of (−)-tubifolidine starting from the enantiopure 3a-(2-nitrophenyl)hexahydroindolone (−)- 51, which was prepared taking advantage of the prochiral character of cyclohexanedione 15 .