Total Synthesis of Securinega Alkaloids

1Introduction Naturally occurring Securinega alkaloids (1-4) (Fig. 1)[1], with their wide range of structural and stereochemical features, continue to provide challenging synthetic targets, since these alkaloids exhibit attractive biological activities. Securinine (1), isolated from Securinega suffruticosa [2], was structurally determined to contain an indolizidine skeleton with an azabicyclo[3.2.1 ]octane system together with an α, β-unsaturated γ-lactone ring. This alkaloid has been clinically used in Russia as a CNS stimulating drug[3], and has been shown to act as a stereospecific antagonist at the GABA binding site of the GABAA-receptor complex[4].Viroallosecurinine (2), a diastereoisomeric alkaloid of securinine, was also isolated from the leaves of Securinega virosa[5] as a cytotoxic alkaloid exhibiting a MIC of 0.48 μg/mL for Ps. aeruginosa and Staph.aureus[6]. This alkaloid is recognized to be bactericidal since the yields of MIC/MBC were less than 1[7].