Divergent Total Syntheses of Lycorine Alkaloids via a Sequential C–H Functionalization Strategy

A Pd-catalyzed one-pot sequential C–H functionalization strategy was utilized to prepare four lycorine alkaloids and one pseudo-lycorine alkaloid from the common intermediate 4. By switching the followed oxidative conditions of air, DMSO/H2O/I2, and DMSO/O2, based on the Pd(PPh3)4/K2CO3/toluene catalytic system, three key intermediates 12a, 12b, and 12c with different substitution patterns could be obtained in a well-controlled manner. As a result, four natural products γ-lycorane, hippadine, anhydrolycorinone, and anhydrolycorine as well as a pseudo-lycorine alkaloid Δ(4a,10b)-6-oxodihydrolycorine were successfully synthesized within 10 steps through this divergent route.