Photoredox catalysis enabling decarboxylative radical cyclization of γ,γ-dimethylallyltryptophan (DMAT) derivatives: formal synthesis of 6,7-secoagroclavine

• Alessio Regni,
• Francesca Bartoccini and
• Giovanni Piersanti

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 918–927, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.70

• -dimethylallyltryptophan (DMAT) derivatives containing unactivated alkene moieties has been developed, providing green and efficient access to various six-, seven-, and eight-membered ring 3,4-fused tricyclic indoles. This type of cyclization, which was hitherto very difficult to comprehend in ergot biosynthesis and to

• photocatalyst. Keywords: decarboxylative cyclization; DMAT; ergot alkaloids; photoredox catalysis; radicals; Introduction Visible-light photoredox catalysis is rapidly changing the way organic chemists approach the design and synthesis of molecules by offering new synthetic disconnection opportunities that

• ][64][65][66][67], we became fascinated in exploring whether photoredox catalysis could be applied for the activation of such unnatural amino acids to expedite the development of completely new synthetic pathways. In particular, 4-dimethylallyltryptophan (DMAT) is of interest for the following reasons

Natural products in the predatory defence of the filamentous fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus

• Jana M. Boysen,
• Nauman Saeed and
• Falk Hillmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1814–1827, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.124

• with the prenylation of ʟ-tryptophan to dimethylallyltryptophan (DMAT). During several steps DMAT is converted to chanoclavine-I aldehyde, the last mutual intermediate. Branching into different pathways after this intermediate is mainly due to differences in the function of EasA, the enzyme catalysing