Free radical cyclizations in alkaloid total synthesis: (±)-21- oxogelsemine and (±)-gelsemine

Total syntheses of (±)-21-oxogelsemine (3) and (±)-gelsemine (1) are described. Free radical cyclizations play important roles in constructing the tricyclic core (40 → 41) and oxindole (93 → 96) substructures of the target alkaloids, and an isomerization-cyclization strategy (101 → 102) was used to complete construction of the gelsemine cage. Observations made along the way include intramolecular 1,4- and 1,6-hydrogen atom transfers (64 → 65 and 40 → 47) and a free radical cyclization-fragmentation sequence (85 → 86 + 87). A retroaldol-aldol strategy for adjusting oxindole stereochemistry in gelsemine-like structures is also described (72 → 74 and 86 → 87).