Enantioselective total synthesis of pyrinodemin A

Pyrinodemin A 1, a cytotoxic marine alkaloid, was synthesized in a convergent and enantioselective fashion. The key steps are an asymmetric intramolecular dipolar cycloaddition of an oxazoline N-oxide to introduce the bicyclic ring system of the molecule, a cuprate coupling for the extension of the saturated chain and a B-alkyl Suzuki coupling for the introduction of a 3-pyridyl moiety. Reductive amination allowed the coupling of the second side-chain onto the nitrogen atom to give 1. Additionally, attempts to prepare 1 from a trienic precursor by a double B-alkyl Suzuki reaction are described.