Construction of the Tricyclic A‑B‑C Core of the Veratrum Alkaloids

Organocatalyzed enantioselective allylation of 2-iodocyclohexenone followed by methylation and oxy-Cope rearrangement delivered enantiomerically enriched 2-methyl 3-allyl cyclohexanone, which engaged in acid-catalyzed Robinson annulation to give the bicyclic enone. Subsequent elaboration of the pendant allyl group into an α-diazo β-keto ester set the stage for Rh-mediated cyclization to deliver the tricyclic A-B-C core of the Veratrum alkaloids.