Worldwide, there are plants known as psychoactive plants that naturally contain psychedelic active components. They have a high concentration of neuroprotective substances that can interact with the nervous system to produce psychedelic effects. Despite these plants' hazardous potential, recreational use of them is on the rise because of their psychoactive properties. Early neuroscience studies relied heavily on psychoactive plants and plant natural products (NPs), and both recreational and hazardous NPs have contributed significantly to the understanding of almost all neurotransmitter systems. Worldwide, there are many plants that contain psychoactive properties, and people have been using them for ages. Psychoactive plant compounds may significantly alter how people perceive the world.
1. Org Lett. 2017 Apr 7;19(7):1922-1925. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.7b00722. Epub 2017 Mar 30. Total Synthesis of Scholarisine K and Alstolactine A. Wang D(1), Hou M(1), Ji Y(1), Gao S(1). Author information: (1)Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University , 3663 N Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China. The first asymmetric total syntheses of scholarisine K and alstolactine A have been accomplished. Our syntheses feature (1) ring closure metathesis and an intramolecular Heck reaction to construct the 1,3-bridged [3,3,1] bicycle (C-D ring), (2) intramolecular alkylation followed by Fischer indolization to form the basic skeleton of akuammilines, and (3) bioinspired, acid-promoted epoxide opening/lactonization to generate the second lactone ring of alstolactine A. These results provide evidence of a biogenetic relationship between scholarisine K and alstolactine A, which should facilitate the preparation of other akuammiline-type natural products and their derivatives for functional studies. DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.7b00722 PMID: 28358517