Diversity-oriented syntheses of 7-substituted lentiginosines

Diversity-oriented synthesis of derivatives of the potent glycosidase inhibitor lentiginosine can be achieved in an efficient and versatile way by two modular approaches on key intermediates. After assembling the indolizidine ring system through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of a dihydroxylated pyrroline N-oxide with 4-butenol followed by elaboration of the isoxazolidine moiety, the 7-amino and 7-azido derivatives synthesized can be conjugated with functionalised chains by coupling, respectively, with an amino acid, or an alkyne in copper-catalyzed Huisgen cycloadditions.