Synthesis of Alkaloids by Stevens Rearrangement of Nitrile-Stabilized Ammonium Ylides: (±)-Laudanosine, (±)-Laudanidine, (±)-Armepavine, (±)-7-Methoxycryptopleurine, and (±)-Xylopinine

Abstract

The Stevens rearrangement of nitrile-stabilized ammonium ylides in conjunction with the reductive removal of the nitrile function permits the facile construction of α-branched amines from α-aminonitriles. We employed this reaction sequence for the preparation of (±)-laudanosine, (±)-laudanidine and (±)-armepavine, (±)-7-methoxycryptopleurine, and (±)-xylopinine from two closely related and readily accessible bicyclic α-aminonitriles. The final products were obtained in high to almost quantitative yields (71-98%) from the quaternary ammonium salts obtained by N-alkylation of these starting materials.