Construction of Fused–Bridged Tricycles by Molecular Reorganization Involving Prins Cyclization/Dicycloexpansion

Y Yun‐Peng Wang (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China) Z Zi‐Lin Gao (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China) K Kun Fang Y Yong‐Qiang Tu (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China) S Si‐Hua Hou (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China) H Hong Wang K Ka Lu (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Artificial Intelligence, Frontier Scientific Center of Transformative Molecules, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, MoE Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence) B Bao‐Heng Dou (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China) J Jun Xue T Tian Ke (Chemical Sciences Division) S Shu‐Yu Zhang (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China) Z Zhi‐Min Chen (State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 P.R. China) T Tong‐Mei Ding (School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China)

Abstract

Abstract The development of efficient methods for constructing structurally complex and diverse polycyclic carbon frameworks remains in high demand for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and bioactive natural products. One such method lies in engineered one‐step molecular reorganization through the cascade cyclization/cycloexpansion of rationally designed precursors with interconnected small‐ring systems. Here, we have strategically designed and developed a synthetically valuable method to construct fused‐bridged tricyclic systems through cascade Prins cyclization/dicycloexpansion of substrates with a cycloalkylidene (CAD) tethered to a cycloketones. This methodology features high step economy, reaction efficiency, and selectivity, as well as a broad substrate tolerance. Diversification through variation of the size of the small ring, the linker length, and the linking site has enabled the efficient synthesis of six types of fused‐bridged tricyclic scaffolds, which are found frequently in bioactive natural products. Based on supporting experiments and DFT calculations, a plausible reaction mechanism is also proposed.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 42
Published October 13, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (13)

Y

Yun‐Peng Wang

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China

Z

Zi‐Lin Gao

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China

K

Kun Fang

Y

Yong‐Qiang Tu

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China

S

Si‐Hua Hou

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China

H

Hong Wang

K

Ka Lu

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Artificial Intelligence, Frontier Scientific Center of Transformative Molecules, National Key Laboratory of Innovative Immunotherapy, MoE Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence

B

Bao‐Heng Dou

School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China

J

Jun Xue

T

Tian Ke

Chemical Sciences Division

S

Shu‐Yu Zhang

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China

Z

Zhi‐Min Chen

State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 P.R. China

T

Tong‐Mei Ding

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem‐Bio Synthesis Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai China