An Overview of Syntheses of Apogalanthamine Analogues and 7-Aza Derivatives of Steganacin and Steganone

A concise and critical overview of the developments in the synthesis of apogalanthamine analogues and steganacin and steganone 7-aza analogues over the last four decades is presented. These amaryllidaceae alkaloid analogues bear a 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrodibenz[c,e]azocine skeleton, and are well known for their diverse and potent biological activities. This microreview will briefly glance over the history and early developments in the field at the beginning, and will, in the latter parts, concentrate on the recent synthetic developments in the synthesis of the title molecules. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)