Total Synthesis of (−)-Galanthamine and (−)-Lycoramine via Catalytic Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Intramolecular Reductive Heck Cyclization

Abstract

A synthetic strategy featuring efficient ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of racemic α-aryloxy cyclic ketone via dynamic kinetic resolution and palladium-catalyzed intramolecular reductive Heck cyclization has been developed for the asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-galanthamine (20.1%, 12 steps) and (-)-lycoramine (40.2%, 10 steps).