Simple syntheses of the polyamine alkaloid tenuilobine and analogues using selectively N-tritylated polyamines and dicarboxylic acids as bridging elements

Selectively N-tritylated spermidine and spermine derivatives and the monophenacyl ester of 1,16-hexadecanedioic acid (Hda) were used to obtain the polyamine alkaloid tenuilobine and its fully reduced analogue. Other symmetric or side-chain-shortened tenuilobine analogues were readily obtained by using Hda or its dichloride or succinic anhydride to bridge the polyamine moieties.