BIBOP‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Staudinger/aza‐Wittig Reaction: Unified Syntheses of (–)‐Minfiensine and (+)‐Aspidophylline A

Z Zhen Dong Z Zhengwen Xue (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China) Z Zhuoping Deng (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China) J Jingyang Zhang (Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology) S Shuang Xi (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China) Z Zinan Gong (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China) Y Yefeng Tang

Abstract

ABSTRACT A unified approach has been developed to construct the characteristic 4a,9a‐heterocycle‐fused tetrahydrocarbazole skeleton present in various monoterpene indole alkaloids. This method hinges on a unique chiral bisphosphine BIBOP‐catalyzed asymmetric Staudinger/aza‐Wittig reaction followed by imine cyclization. Compared to conventional mono‐ and bisphosphines, BIBOP exhibits more robust performance across diverse reaction settings. Mechanistic studies revealed that BIBOP(O), the mono‐oxidized derivative of BIBOP, could also promote the asymmetric transformation with excellent enantioselectivity. Leveraging the developed method, we have accomplished a concise total synthesis of (–)‐minfiensine and a formal synthesis of (+)‐aspidophylline A. This work not only establishes a versatile platform for the synthesis of diverse monoterpene indole alkaloids but also offers a new class of organophosphine catalysts applicable to asymmetric Staudinger/aza‐Wittig reaction as well as related transformations.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 27
Published July 01, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (7)

Z

Zhen Dong

Z

Zhengwen Xue

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China

Z

Zhuoping Deng

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China

J

Jingyang Zhang

Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology of Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology

S

Shuang Xi

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China

Z

Zinan Gong

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure Tsinghua University Beijing China

Y

Yefeng Tang