A convenient strategy for synthesizing the Agelas alkaloids clathrodin, oroidin, and hymenidin and their (un)saturated linker analogs

A convenient strategy for the scalable synthesis of the 2-aminoimidazole alkaloids, clathrodin, oroidin, and hymenidin derived from marine Agelas species and their analogs possessing a saturated or unsaturated linker moiety is described. The key intermediates, 4-(3-aminopropyl)-1H-imidazol-2-amine and (E)-4-(3-aminoprop-1-en-1-yl)-1H-imidazol-2-amine were obtained through two different synthetic pathways starting from l-ornithine and benzyl 1,2-dihydropyridine-1-carboxylate respectively, using (i) an innovative combination of Weinreb amide strategy with di-Boc protection, and (ii) a modified pyridine-1(2H)-carboxylate based strategy. Convenient access to these 2-aminoimidazole amines is crucial for the synthesis of libraries of clathrodin, oroidin, and hymenidin analogs.