Total Synthesis of Scholarisine K and Alstolactine A

The first asymmetric total syntheses of scholarisine K and alstolactine A have been accomplished. Our syntheses feature (1) ring closure metathesis and an intramolecular Heck reaction to construct the 1,3-bridged [3,3,1] bicycle (C–D ring), (2) intramolecular alkylation followed by Fischer indolization to form the basic skeleton of akuammilines, and (3) bioinspired, acid-promoted epoxide opening/lactonization to generate the second lactone ring of alstolactine A. These results provide evidence of a biogenetic relationship between scholarisine K and alstolactine A, which should facilitate the preparation of other akuammiline-type natural products and their derivatives for functional studies.