Three potent neurotoxins of plant origin, picrotoxinin 1, coriamyrtin 2, and tutin 3, and a toxic, bitter principle of a scale insect, asteromurin A 69 are highly oxygenated sesquiterpenoids of the picrotoxane-type.
Stereocontrolled total synthesis of these four natural products in optically active form is described using a functionalized
cis-hydrindane 50 as a common intermediate. Double cyclization of deacetalized products of cyclohexenones 42 gave tricyclic compounds of the isotwistane skeleton 43, which were subsequently transformed into a ketone 45. Utilizing the bridgehead hydroxylation of the bicyclo [3. 2. 1] octan-2-one part of the isotwistane skeleton in the ketone 45, a bicyclic compound 47 was synthesized and further converted to the
cis-hydrindane 50, the common intermediate for the synthesis of picrotoxane sesquiterpenoids. After optical resolution, the
cis-hydrindane (+) -50 was converted to a cyclic ether (-) -53, which, in turn, was transformed into (-) -picrotoxinin 1, (+) -coriamyrtin 2, (+) -tutin 3, and (+) -asteromurin A 69.
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