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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

A Customizable Approach for the Enzymatic Production and Purification of Diterpenoid Natural Products
Published on: October 4, 2019
A Benzyne Insertion Approach to Hetisine-Type Diterpenoid Alkaloids: Synthesis of Cossonidine (Davisine)
Kevin G M Kou1, Jason J Pflueger1, Toshihiro Kiho1
1Department of Chemistry , University of California, Berkeley , Berkeley , California 94720 , United States.
Abstract:
The hetisine-type natural products exhibit one of the most complex carbon skeletons within the diterpenoid alkaloid family. The use of network analysis has enabled a synthesis strategy to access alkaloids in this class with hydroxylation on the A-ring. Key transformations include a benzyne acyl-alkylation to construct a key fused 6-7-6 tricycle, a chemoselective nitrile reduction, and sequential C-N bond formations using a reductive cyclization and a photochemical hydroamination to construct an embedded azabicycle. Our strategy should enable access to myriad natural and unnatural products within the hetisine-type.
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