Synfacts 2009(3): 0235-0235  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1087698
Synthesis of Natural Products and Potential Drugs
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Synthesis of ()-Psychotrimine

Contributor(s):Philip Kocienski, Zofia Komsta
T. Newhouse, P. S. Baran*
The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA
Total Synthesis of ()-Psychotrimine
J. Am. Chem. Soc.  2008,  130:  10886-10887  
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
19 February 2009 (online)


Significance

Psychotrimine was isolated from a South African rainforest shrub Psychotria rostrata, belonging to the coffee family. This very concise and high-yielding synthesis features a unique, ­direct indole-aniline coupling (AD). More than two gram of the target molecule was obtained in four relatively high-yielding steps.

Comment

The direct coupling of bromotrypt-amine derivative A with iodoaniline B afforded adduct D in a satisfactory yield. The Pd-catalyzed reaction of D with alkyne E resulted in F, which was next subjected to a chemoselective Buchwald-Goldberg-Ullman reaction that gave N-arylation product I. The subsequent treatment of I with Red-Al afforded the target molecule.