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A modular and flexible three-step synthetic strategy has been developed for the synthesis of acridone natural products of biological significance. The tetracyclic core of acridone derivatives has been achieved efficiently in high yield from commercially available anthranilic acid and phenol derivatives via condensation reaction, followed by regioselective annulation. Acridone alkaloids acronycine and noracronycine are synthesized in improved overall yields in fewer steps than the previously reported approaches. The method has further been used for the synthesis of atalaphyllidine and 5-hydroxynoracronycine in excellent yields for the first time. Moreover, the synthetic utility of the present strategy has been showcased by the synthesis of oxa and thia analogues of acronycine alkaloid.

Recent advances in radical azidation using sulfonyl azides are presented. For instance, radical carboazidation using α-iodoketones, desulfitative carboazidation, and anti-Markovnikov hydroazidation of alkenes are described. These novel methods tolerate a large number of functional groups and allow the synthesis of organic azides that would be difficult to synthesize otherwise. The transformation of the azides using reductive processes as well as a Schmidt reaction under nonacidic conditions were used to synthesize alkaloids including indolizidine 167B, monomorine I, cylindricine C, and lepadiformine C.

In the presence of tert-butyl iodide, alkyl azides are converted into the corresponding iodides at room temperature, whereas, N-t-Bu anilines are obtained from aryl azides under the same experimental conditions. A mechanism is proposed to explain this unusual reactivity.

A convenient approach for the synthesis of a methyl analogue of crispine A, a potent anticancer agent, through intramolecular Schmidt reaction of azido-ketone 6 is described. � 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An intramolecular Schmidt reaction strategy for the synthesis of various derivatives of crispine A using azido-ketone as a key intermediate is described.