first total synthesis of grandisine alkaloids, grandisines B, D, and F, which show affinity for the human δ‐opioid receptor. The key steps in this synthesis are construction of the isoquinuclidinone moiety of 2 by intramolecularimine formation and the tetracyclic ring system of 4 by stereoselective ring closure of the enolate of amine 8 generated by 1,4‐addition of ammonia to 9. Synthesis of key intermediate
Both enantiomers of elaeocarpenine (1) and its analogs, 21, 22, 25, and 27, were synthesized from bicyclic aldehydes 8-10 via a flexible route previously established for total synthesis of grandisines, and their binding affinities for mu-, kappa- and delta-opioid receptor subtypes were evaluated. We found that (9R)-1 exhibited higher affinity than (9S)-1 for all the subtypes, but the enantiomers showed little subtype selectivity. Analogs 21 having a pyrrolizidine skeleton and 27 having a stemona-type skeleton in place of the indolizidine unit of (9S)-1 showed mu-selective and mu-, kappa-selective binding, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.