Total Synthesis of Kopsinitarine E

Abstract

Kopsinitarines A-E are complex octacyclic caged Kopsia alkaloids with strained cage skeletons and a unique cyclic hemiaminal bridge that makes total synthesis challenging. Herein, we disclose the first total synthesis of kopsinitarine E. The key synthetic features include a SmI₂ -mediated radical cascade cyclization and a subsequent semi-pinacol rearrangement to install the key carbocyclic skeleton, a chemoselective hydrosilyl amide reduction to construct the hemiaminal ether bridge, and an intramolecular Mannich reaction to establish the highly strained cage system.

Keywords: Mannich reaction; cyclization; indole alkaloids; semi-pinacol rearrangement; total synthesis.