Total synthesis of (-)-colchicine via a Rh-triggered cycloaddition cascade.

[reaction: see text] A synthesis of the antimitotic alkaloids (-)-colchicine and (-)-isocolchicine is reported. Important steps are (a) enantioselective transfer-hydrogenation of an alkynone, (b) iodine/magnesium exchange with subsequent aromatic acylation, (c) Rh-catalyzed transformation of an alpha-diazoketone into an oxatetracyclic key intermediate through intramolecular [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of an in situ generated carbonyl ylide, and (d) regioselective conversion of the cycloadduct into a tropolone derivative. The new synthetic strategy opens an efficient enantioselective access to colchicine and structural analogues.

Direct Zn-diamine promoted reduction of C=O and C=N bonds by polymethylhydrosiloxane in methanol.

Ketones and imines are chemoselectively reduced at room temperature in methanol to the corresponding alcohols and amines in high yields in a one-step procedure using polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) and a simple zinc-diamine catalyst.