A concise stereoselective synthesis of (−)-erycibelline

(−)-Erycibelline, the dihydroxynortropane alkaloid isolated from Erycibe elliptilimba Merr. et Chun., was synthesized using a cyclic nitrone as advanced intermediate, wherein the key step was the SmI2-induced intramolecular reductive coupling of cyclic nitrone with aldehyde which resulted in good yield and stereoselectivity.