A synthetic approach to ervatamine-silicine alkaloids. Enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-episilicine

Abstract

Starting from an appropriate unsaturated phenylglycinol-derived oxazolopiperidone lactam, the synthesis of (-)-16-episilicine is reported, the key steps being a stereoselective conjugate addition, a stereoselective alkylation, and a ring-closing metathesis reaction. This represents the first enantioselective total synthesis of an alkaloid of the silicine group.