The proposed research is aimed at devising and executing a total synthesis of the stephacidins, structurally novel alkaloids that exhibit potent in vitro cytotoxic activity against certain testosterone-dependent prostate cell lines. The proposal includes several new strategies aimed at accessing the recurring 6-oxyindole motif in short order from readily available materials. In addition, a new method for the enantioselective construction of the unusual bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane core is presented. Finally, it is hoped that conditions can be found to reliably and efficiently prepare indolyl nitrones (imine N-oxides) from the parent indoles. Ideally, these and other strategies would be used prepare the stephacidins themselves as well as analogs not only for evaluations of bioactivity, but also to elucidate the unknown mechanism by which they operate.
