Shinsuke Inuki

Enantioselective total synthesis of the biologically important indole alkaloids (+)-lysergol, (+)-isolysergol, and (+)-lysergic acid is described. Key features of these total synthesis include (1) a facile synthesis of a chiral 1,3-amino alcohol via the Pd(0)- and In(I)-mediated reductive coupling reaction between L-serine-derived 2-ethynylaziridine and formaldehyde; (2) the Cr(II)/Ni(0)-mediated Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi (NHK) reaction of an indole-3-acetaldehyde with iodoalkyne; and (3) Pd(0)-cataly

Ergot alkaloids and their synthetic analogs have been reported to exhibit broad biological activity. We investigated direct construction of the C/D ring system of ergot alkaloids based on palladium-catalyzed domino cyclization of amino allenes. With this biscyclization as the key step, total synthesis of (+/-)-lysergic acid, (+/-)-lysergol, and (+/-)-isolysergol was achieved.

Palladium(0)-catalyzed cyclization of bromoallenes, propargyl chlorides, and carbonates bearing hydroxy and benzamide groups as internal nucleophiles stereoselectively provides functionalized tetrahydrofuran. Cyclization reactivity is dependent on the relative configuration of the benzamide and leaving groups, and on the nature of the leaving groups. This bis-cyclization was used as the key step in a short total synthesis of pachastrissamine, which is a biologically active marine natural product

Palladium(0)-catalyzed cyclization of bromoallenes bearing hydroxyl and benzamide groups as internal nucleophiles stereoselectively provides functionalized tetrahydrofuran. With this bis-cyclization as the key step, a short total synthesis of pachastrissamine, a biologically active marine natural product, was achieved.

We report herein a nonbiomimetic strategy for the total synthesis of the plicamine-type alkaloids zephycarinatines C and D. The key feature of the synthesis is a stereoselective reductive radical ipso-cyclization using visible-light-mediated photoredox catalysis. This cyclization enabled the construction of a 6,6-spirocyclic core structure through the addition of a carbon-centered radical onto the aromatic ring. Biological evaluation of zephycarinatines and their derivatives revealed that the sy

A formal total synthesis of l-ossamine was achieved. The key feature of the synthesis was the decarboxylative functionalization of a threonine derivative using visible-light-mediated photoredox catalysis. This reaction was implemented in a flow reactor, allowing for the efficient conversion to the desired product.

d-glycero-d-manno-Heptose 1,7-bisphosphate (HBP) is the precursor for heptose residues found in Gram-negative bacterial membrane surface glycoproteins and glycolipids. HBP β-anomer was recently reported to be a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) that regulates TIFA-dependent immunity. Herein, we report the chemical synthesis of HBP α- and β-anomers, which highlights a C-7 carbon homologation via the Corey-Chaykovsky reaction, and the introduction of a phosphate group at the anomeric po

The CD1d protein is a nonpolymorphic MHC class I-like protein that controls the activation of natural killer T (NKT) cells through the presentation of self- and foreign-lipid ligands, glycolipids, or phospholipids, leading to the secretion of various cytokines. The CD1d contains a large hydrophobic lipid binding pocket: the A' pocket of CD1d, which recognizes hydrophobic moieties of the ligands, such as long fatty acyl chains. Although lipid-protein interactions typically rely on hydrophobic int

Cascade reactions (also represented as domino reactions) realize the step-economical direct construction of natural product core structures. The use of atom-economical elementary reactions in cascade processes can minimize waste production and avoid prefunctionalization of the substrates. Palladium catalysis, which promotes a variety of atom-economical elementary reactions, has long been used as a powerful approach to the direct formation of complex heterocycles. In this short review, palladium-

Heterocycle-fused indoles or indolines are distributed widely in a variety of natural products, bioactive agents, and pharmaceuticals. Herein, we describe the development of gold-catalyzed cascade reactions of anilines with diynes to form eight-membered ring-fused indoles and propellane-type indolines, both of which proceed through an intramolecular 5-<i>endo</i>-<i>dig</i> hydroamination followed by an 8-<i>endo</i>-<i>dig</i> cycloisomerization. Controllable formation of eight-membered ring-fu

A total synthesis of polyoxamic acid has been achieved. The key feature of the synthetic route is a visible-light-mediated β-scission and carbon-to-carbon 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT) to provide the functionalized alditol under mild conditions. This type of carbon-to-carbon 1,5-HAT initiated by C(sp³)-centered radicals has been scarcely reported. Furthermore, the reaction was adapted for flow chemistry, facilitating the total synthesis of polyoxamic acid.

CD1d is a nonpolymorphic antigen-presenting protein responsible for the regulation of natural killer T (NKT) cell activation. α-Galactosyl ceramide (α-GalCer, KRN7000) is the representative CD1d ligand that can bind to the CD1d protein. The resulting complex is recognized by the T cell receptors of the NKT cell, inducing various immune responses. Previous structure-activity relationship studies of α-GalCer have revealed that the ability of NKT cells to induce cytokines depends on the ligand stru

The MHC class I-like molecule CD1d is a nonpolymorphic antigen-presenting glycoprotein, and its ligands include glycolipids, such as α-GalCer. The complexes between CD1d and ligands activate natural killer T cells by T cell receptor recognition, leading to the secretion of various cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17A, etc.). Herein, we report structure-activity relationship studies of α-GalCer derivatives containing various functional groups in their lipid acyl chains. Several derivatives have been id

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an abundant subset of innate-like T lymphocytes. MAIT cells are activated by microbial riboflavin-derived antigens, such as 5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-d-ribitylaminouracil (5-OP-RU), when presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related protein (MR1). We have synthesized all stereoisomers of 5-OP-RU to investigate the effects of its stereochemistry on the MR1-dependent MAIT cell activation and MR1 upregulation. The analysis