FP7Individual fellowship2010–2013

NSR-ANP · New Synthetic Reactions for Antitumor Natural Products

FP7 — People (Marie Curie Actions)

Duration
2010-05-03 → 2013-05-02
EU contribution
€250,230
Participants
1
Scheme
MC-IOF

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

New Synthetic Reactions for Antitumor Natural Products

The development of catalytic transformations of C(sp3)–H bonds in a regio- and stereoselective fashion is an extremely exciting challenge and ultimately aims to provide synthetic chemists with new ways to disconnect bonds. In recent years, transition metal catalysis employing ligands as directing groups to affect C(sp3)–H bond activation has led to the development of multiple C(sp3)–H bond functionalisation methods. We have recently discovered an amine directed Pd(II)-catalyzed carbonylation of C(sp3)–H bonds of secondary amines via a 5-membered palladacycle intermediate species that allows CO insertion and cyclisation for the synthesis of pyrrolidinone moieties. Thus, this strategy exploits the inherent directing ability of the amine functional group in the substrates allowing for C(sp3)–H activation, without the need of any external directing group. This new reaction works for a variety of substrates incorporating quaternary groups alfa to the amine showing enhanced reactivity for the terminal C(sp3)–H bond of methyl groups, good functional group tolerance and asymmetric induction. Therefore, this method highlights the emerging value of unactivated C(sp3)–H bonds as functional groups in organic synthesis. Parallel efforts towards the installation of nitrogen atom functionalities into organic molecules triggered the recent discovery of a straightforward intermolecular carboamination methodology. A thioether substituent in readily accessible 2-alkyl-5-(methylthio)tetrazoles enables facile photoinduced denitrogenation and intramolecular nitrile imine 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition to afford a wide range of polycyclic pyrazoline products with excellent diastereoselectivity. The methylthio group obviates the requirement in all previous substrate systems for at least one aryl substituent and can subsequently be converted into a variety of other functionalities. This synthetic platform has been applied to the concise total syntheses of the alkaloid natural products (±) newbouldine and withasomnine.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

This project seek to study potential advances in organic synthesis and to apply such advances to the elaboration and study of natural products or natural product congeners of novel biological activity. This project has three main goals of broad relevance. The first is the development of new chemistry, (both in terms of strategy as well as specific reactions) to assist in the synthesis of complex target systems. The second is the application of this chemistry to the synthesis of potentially useful anticancer agents bearing a priviledged and natural-ocurring dipyrrolo[1,2-a:1',2'-d]pyrazine core. Thus, natural products such as phakellins, phakellstatins, palau'amine, spirotryprostatins and structure related to natural products provide the focus for our synthetic efforts. Finally we hope to evaluate, albeit on a qualitative basis some notions as to the mode of action of these substances. It is anticipated that such studies will help to clarify chemical possibilities which might be of relevance to drug activation. This project provides an excellent framework to the transference of chemical efforts to medicinal research in diseases of global impact, such cancer is nowadays.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · CAMBRIDGECoordinatorUnited Kingdom

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union