Sweet Poisons: Synthetic Strategies towards Tutin Glycosides

Abstract

The polycyclic, polyoxygenated picrotoxane tutin was subjected to various glycosylation reaction conditions in an effort to synthesise β-linked tutin glycosides, recently found in toxic honeys. Cationic palladium-mediated glycosylation of tutin was successful; however, the α-linked tutin tetrabenzyl glucoside was obtained as the major product (5 : 1, α : β). Hydrogenolysis of the benzyl ether protecting groups resulted in concomitant tutin double-bond migration. Epoxide opening and rearrangement were observed upon acetylation of the tutin glucoside.