An efficient asymmetric total synthesis of the dimeric macrocyclic diaryl ether phenethyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid (-)-melanthiodine is reported. Key steps of the synthesis include an efficient Noyori asymmetric transfer hydrogenation to access the enantioenriched phenethyltetrahydroisoquinoline monomeric subunit and a copper-mediated cyclodimerization to form the two diaryl ether linkages with concomitant macrocyclization.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Wang et al. (2016) studied this question.