Lycorines and related compounds were obtained by a short and convergent method, based on an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction between an azadiene and an aryne, both generated in situ.
with vinylene carbonate for the synthesis of isoquinolinones and pyridinones has been developed. This protocol employing inexpensive Co(III) as the catalyst tolerated diverse functional groups and substitution patterns, affording the target products with good to excellent yields. The synthetic utility of this transformation was demonstrated by a three-step synthesis of gusanlung D, 8-oxopseudopalmatine