Intramolecular Amidofuran Cycloadditions across an Indole π-Bond: An Efficient Approach to the<i>Aspidosperma</i>and<i>Strychnos</i><i>ABCE</i>Core

Abstract

[reaction: see text] The intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction between an amidofuran moiety tethered onto an indole component was examined as a strategy for the synthesis of Aspidosperma and Strychnos alkaloids. Furanyl carbamate 13 was acylated using the mixed anhydride 16 to provide amidofuran 12 in 68% yield. Further N-acylation of this indole furnished 17 in 88% yield. Cyclization precursors were prepared by removing the carbamate moiety followed by N-alkylation with the appropriate alkyl halides. Thermolysis of 25 provided the novel tetracyclic ketone 26 in 74% yield.