A three-step synthesis of the azaphenanthrene alkaloid eupoulauramine (1) has been achieved from 3-bromopyridine. The key step in the synthesis was a one-pot conversion of 4 to O-demethyleupolauramine (9) via an intramolecular SRN1 reaction followed in situ stilbene photocyclization. Methylation by the procedure of Weinreb gave the natural product.
A six-step totalsynthesis of the azaphenanthrene alkaloid eupolauramine 1 has been achieved using combinational metalation-cyclization tactics. The synthetic route involved first the construction of the azaisoindolinone 9 by aryne-mediated cyclization of he phosphorylated pyridocarboxamide 7 and subsequent dephosphorylation. Metalation of 9 followed by connection of the hydroxybenzyl appendage and