A Biomimetic Enantioselective Approach to the Decahydroquinoline Class of Dendrobatid Alkaloids

Abstract

A princely synthesis: The hypothetical key step in the biosynthesis of the decahydroquinoline dendrobatid alkaloids, such as cis-195 A found in frogs, from 1,5-polycarbonyl derivatives is mimicked by using (R)-phenylglycinol as a chiral latent form of ammonia in a double cyclocondensation reaction.