A palladium-catalyzed oxidative cascade cyclization reaction has been developed to prepare pyrrolizidine and indolizidine derivatives from simple aliphatic alkenyl amides 2.1ak in one step in moderate to good yields, using Pd(TFA)2 as the catalyst and molecular oxygen (1 atm) as a green oxidant. This cascade cyclization can also proceed for ring-containing unsaturated amides 2.1ln to afford azatricyclic systems. Palladium(II)-catalyzed dehydrohalogenation cascade cyclization reactions have been developed to synthesize polycyclic pyrrolizidine derivatives from iodoalkenylanilides 4.1ai in satisfactory to excellent yields under mild conditions. This reaction produces two stereocenters in one step and only one single diastereomer was obtained in the cyclization of 4.1. The reaction is proposed to proceed through an organopalladium(IV) species, formed by oxidative addition after the aminopalladation. This organopalladium(IV) species then undergoes reductive elimination to give the cyclized product. This cyclization is a fast and efficient way to construct natural alkaloids that contain pyrrolizidine or indolizidine cores. / published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Abstract not available

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) and tetrahydropyran (THP) rings are commonly found in a wide range of natural products and biologically active compounds. In total synthesis, the formation of THF/THP motifs is often the key step but existing methods often involve numerous steps and low overall efficiencies. Part one of this thesis details the development of a practical method for the synthesis of THF rings by the controlled mono-addition/cyclisation of organolithium species to C2-symmetric diepoxides (Scheme A-1). This method can also be applied to the synthesis of bis-THF rings from triepoxides and has potential applications in more complex cascade reactions. A similar cyclisation process providing THF rings from epoxyaldehydes is also described. Part two of this thesis details our efforts towards the synthesis of the marine macrolide neopeltolide. Wright and co-workers reported the isolation of neopeltolide 211 from a deep-water sponge of the family neopeltidae off the north coast of Jamaica. The structure, which was assigned by NMR and HRMS studies and reassigned by total synthesis, contains a 14-membered macrolactone, a 2,6-cis THP ring and an unsaturated oxazole side-chain. Chapter four describes the synthesis of the C2-C8 and C9-C16 fragments (Scheme A-2). Chapter five details our initial attempts in the coupling of subunits 268 and 320, as well as a revised synthetic strategy that allowed us to successfully couple C2-C9 alkyne 347 with C10-C16 aldehyde 348 and the preparation of an advanced intermediate 364 (Scheme A-3).