A facile synthesis of methyl ester of chaetogline A is reported starting from the corresponding methyl 1-methyltryptophanate-derived maleimide. A stereoselective Wittig olefination with a carbonyl function in methyl pyruvate followed by phosphorous pentoxide-induced regioselective dehydrative cyclization are the essential reactions. An acid-induced thermodynamically driven stereoselective β- to α-position migration of the exocyclic C=C bond unit in ethyl tetrahydroindolizinoindolylidenepropanoate is described.
Key words
natural product - chaetogline A - amino acid - maleimide - methyl pyruvate - Wittig reaction - dehydrative cyclization