Further studies on synthesis of the 12,13-seco norditerpenoid alkaloids

After a series of optimization for the reaction conditions (reagents, reaction temperature, etc.), treatment of the sulfonates 4, 8, 13 and 15 with 8% NaOH (room temperature, 24 h) via a semipinacol rearrangement afforded the corresponding C-nor compounds 5, 9, 12 and 16, as the major of a pair of epimer at C-16, to an excellent extent, in 95%, 92%, 100% and 90% yield, respectively. The 12,13-seco compounds 21 and 22 (23) were obtained in 20% and 60% yield, respectively, by treating 5 with Br(2)-glacial HOAc (room temperature, 24 h). Treatment of the C-nor compounds 5 or 6, 16 or 17, and 28 from 10 with SOCl(2)-anhydrous benzene (room temperature, overnight) afforded the 12,13-seco compounds 24, 26 and 30 in 70% or 100%, 40% and 66% yield, respectively. When treatment of the C-nor compound 29 from 9 under same conditions gave the 12,13-seco products 30, 31 and 32 in 33%, 26% and 20% yield. When treating 21 or 24, and 26 with 5% KOH in EtOH afforded the 12,13-seco compounds 25 and 27 quantitatively, respectively. The compound 31 converted to 30 quantitatively by treatment with Na(2)CO(3) in MeOH. All of the new compounds were isolated and fully characterized.