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The highly diastereoselective potassium in ammonia reduction−ethylation (EtI) of the chiral 2-(trimethylsilyl)benzamide 1b to give 1,4-cyclohexadiene 3 is the key step in asymmetric syntheses of (−)-eburnamonine (4) and (−)-aspidospermidine (5). Cyclohexadiene 3 was converted to cyclohexanone 7, which provided the trimethylsilyl-substituted butyrolactone 9 utilized for the synthesis of 4 and butyrolactone 13 required for the synthesis of 5. The preparation of 9 depended upon the completely regioselective silicon-directed Baeyer−Villiger oxidation 7 → 8; Baeyer−Villiger oxidation of the cyclohexenone 10 also was regioselective to give the desired enol lactone 11 in 92% yield. Remarkable diastereoselectivity was observed for the kinetically controlled cyclization of the acyl imminium ion derived from the vinyl-substituted carboxaldehyde 16b; treatment of 16b with 5 equiv of CF3CO2H in CH2Cl2 at −55 °C gave an 18:1 mixture of 17 and its C(3) β-epimer in 93% yield. The oxidation of alcohol 18 containing sensitive indole and piperidine rings was best carried out with tetrapropylammonium perruthenate/N-methylmorpholine N-oxide to give (−)-eburnamonine (4) in 97% yield. The asymmetric synthesis of (−)-aspidospermidine 5 involved the conversion of butyrolactone 13 to the hydroxylactam 22, the Harley-Mason cyclization of 22 to 23, and reduction of 23 with LiAlH4.

In pheochromocytoma PC12 cells, (+)-cis-decahydroquinoline 195A (5-methyl-2-propyl-cis-decahydroquinoline) and (+)-perhydro-cis-decahydroquinoline 219A (2,5-dipropyl-cis-decahydroquinoline) inhibit carbamylcholine-elicited sodium flux with IC50 values of 1.0 and 1.5 microM, respectively. Both of these decahydroquinolines appear to enhance desensitization, although apparent lack of complete removal of (+)-perhydro-cis-219A by washing complicates interpretation of the effects of that agent. A series of cis- and trans-decahydroquinolines with substituents in the 2- and 5-position also exhibit structure-dependent inhibition of carbamylcholine-elicited sodium flux in PC12 cells and all of the decahydroquinolines inhibit binding of the noncompetitive blocking agent [3H]perhydrohistrionicotoxin to muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-channels in membranes from Torpedo electroplax. The Ki values in electroplax membranes range from 1.4 to 7.9 microM, making these alkaloids comparable in potencies to the histrionicotoxins. Potencies are increased 2- to 3-fold in the presence of an agonist, carbamylcholine. The profile of activities are similar in PC12 cells and electroplax membranes. The cis- and trans-decahydroquinolines represent another class of noncompetitive blockers for acetylcholine receptor-channels with similar activity for both muscle-type and ganglionic type nicotinic receptors.

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