Total syntheses of vincadifformine, 3-oxovincadifformine, pseudo- and 20-epi-pseudovincadifformine, tabersonine, and Delta(18)-tabersonine through radical reactions and Heck reaction

The pentacyclic alkaloids vincadifformine (9), psi-vincadifformine (15), and epi-psi-vincadifformine (16) could be synthesized by intramolecular free-radical-induced cyclizations of the tetracyclic intermediates 7, 8, and 18, which were respectively obtained by condensation of the indoloazepine 1 with 2-(phenylselenyl)butyraldehyde and subsequent N-b-alkylation of the resulting tetracyclic amines 2 and 3, or from condensation of (phenylselenyl)acetaldehyde with the alkylated indoloazepine 17. The intermediates 2 and 3 also gave 3-oxovincadifformine (21) by an intermolecular radical alkylation with methyl acrylate. Their alkylation with (Z)-1,3-diiodopropene, phenyl selenoxide elimination, and intramolecular Heck reactions provided tabersonine (24) and 18,19-didehydrotabersonine (27).