Total Synthesis of Vinblastine, Vincristine, Related Natural Products, and Key Structural Analogues
Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2009 papers
Abstract
Full details of the development of a direct coupling of catharanthine with vindoline to provide vinblastine are described along with key mechanistic and labeling studies. Following an Fe(III)-promoted coupling reaction initiated by generation of a presumed catharanthine radical cation that undergoes a subsequent oxidative fragmentation and diastereoselective coupling with vindoline, addition of the resulting reaction mixture to an Fe(III)-NaBH(4)/air solution leads to oxidation of the C15'-C20' double bond and reduction of the intermediate iminium ion directly providing vinblastine (40-43%) and leurosidine (20-23%), its naturally occurring C20' alcohol isomer. The yield of coupled products, which exclusively possess the natural C16' stereochemistry, approaches or exceeds 80% and the combined yield of the isomeric C20' alcohols is >60%. Preliminary studies of Fe(III)-NaBH(4)/air oxidation reaction illustrate a generalizable trisubstituted olefin scope, identify alternatives to O(2) trap at the oxidized carbon, provide a unique entry into C20' functionalized vinblastines, and afford initial insights into the observed C20' diastereoselectivity. The first disclosure of the use of exo-catharanthine proceeding through Delta(19',20')-anhydrovinblastine in such coupling reactions is also detailed with identical stereochemical consequences. Incorporating either a catharanthine N-methyl group or a vindoline N-formyl group precludes Fe(III)-promoted coupling, whereas the removal of the potentially key C16 methoxy group of vindoline does not adversely impact the coupling efficiency. Extension of these studies provided a total synthesis of vincristine (2) via N-desmethylvinblastine (36, also a natural product), 16-desmethoxyvinblastine (44) and 4-desacetoxy-16-desmethoxyvinblastine (47) both of which we can now suggest are likely natural products produced by C. roseus, desacetylvinblastine (62) and 4-desacetoxyvinblastine (59), as well as a series of key analogues bearing systematic modifications in the vindoline subunit. Their biological evaluation provided additional insights into the key functionality within the vindoline subunit contributing to the activity and sets the foundation on which further, more deep-seated changes in the structures of 1 and 2 will be explored in future studies.
Related Papers
- → Effect of plant growth regulators on the biosynthesis of vinblastine, vindoline and catharanthine in Catharanthus roseus(2009)69 cited
- → Total synthesis of indole and dihydroindole alkaloids. XVI. Derivatives of vinblastine and vincristine: change of functionality in the vindoline unit(1978)17 cited
- → Stereoselective Conversion of Anhydrovinblastine into Vinblastine Utilizing an Anti-vinblastine Monoclonal Antibody as a Chiral Mould(2006)11 cited
- → Effects of water stress and nitrogen nutrition on regulation of Catharanthus roseus alkaloids metabolism(2012)2 cited
- → In Vitro Study of Vinblastine Biosynthesis: Near-UV/FMN-Mediated Coupling of Vindoline and Catharanthine and Subsequent Conversion to Vinblastine(抗腫瘍性アルカロイドVinblastineの生合成に関する研究: FMN存在下近紫外光照射によって起こるVindolineとCatharanthineの縮合と反応生成物のvinblastineへの変換)(1997)