We are developing the utilization of transition metal catalysts and reagents in the chemo-, regio-, and stereospecific construction of physiologically active and potentially active compounds. This, in particular, involves the use of iron, cobalt, and nickel compounds in the cyclizationof unsaturated organic molecules containing carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom double and triple bonds. Chiral and achiral acyclic starting materials will be converted to chiral polycycles. This includes the steroid nucleus, bicyclic and polycyclic diene systems, the anthracyclinone framework, protoberberine and other alkaloids, and naturally occurring compounds containing five-membered rings with important physiological activity. Catalysts containing chiral ligands will be investigated in enantioselective syntheses. It is hoped that selective and efficient ways to the construction of steroidal antifertility and anti-inflammatory agents, antitumor and antibiotic drugs, antimalarial and central nervous systems active compounds, and other medicinally active structures will be found.
