A Unified Route to the Welwitindolinone Alkaloids: Total Syntheses of (−)-N-Methylwelwitindolinone C Isothiocyanate, (−)-N-Methylwelwitindolinone C Isonitrile, and (−)-3-Hydroxy-N-methylwelwitindolinone C Isothiocyanate

As part of a comprehensive strategy to the welwitindolinone alkaloids possessing a bicyclo[4.3.1]­decane core, we report herein concise asymmetric total syntheses of (−)-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate (2a), (−)-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isonitrile (2b), and (−)-3-hydroxy-N-methylwelwitindolinone C isothiocyanate (3a) from a common tetracyclic intermediate. The crucial vinyl chloride moiety was installed through electrophilic chlorination of a hydrazone, but only after adjustment of reactivity to circumvent a facile skeletal rearrangement. Selective desulfurization and oxidation of 2a provided access to 2b and 3a, respectively. Notably, this work provides corrected 1H and 13C NMR spectral data for 3a.