A chiral synthesis of the Sceletium alkaloid
(-)-mesembranol 1 is described. The cyclohexane ring in 1 is
prepared in an optically active form from D-glucose using
Ferrier’s carbocyclisation, and the critical stereochemistry of
the quaternary carbon in 1 is constructed stereoselectively via
chirality transfer by way of Claisen rearrangement of the
cyclohexenol derivative 14a. The perhydroindole skeleton in 1 is
effectively generated by intramolecular aminomercuriation of the
amino-olefin 18.