Enantioselective synthesis of (–)-barrenazines A and B.

A short enantioselective synthesis of barrenazines A and B is described. Barrenazines A and B are prepared following a common synthetic route in nine steps (19% overall yield) and eight steps (21% overall yield), respectively, from readily available 4-methoxy-3-(triisopropylsilyl)pyridine. The synthesis relies on a highly diastereoselective nucleophilic addition of a Grignard reagent to a chiral acylpyridinium salt, a radical azidation of a silyl enol ether and the assembly of the pyrazine ring by reductive dimerization of a functionalized 5-azidopiperidin-4-one.