Synthesis of the carbon framework of scholarisine A by intramolecular oxidative coupling.

Scholarisine A, isolated from the leaves of Alstonia scholaris, is a monoterpene indole alkaloid with an unprecedented cage-like structure. In this paper, preparation of the distinctive cage-like core skeleton of scholarisine A is described. The key feature of this synthetic strategy is an intramolecular oxidative coupling reaction at the late stage to construct a 10-oxa-tricyclo[5.3.1.0(3, 8)]undecan-9-one structure fused with indolenine. Intramolecular oxidative coupling by using N-iodosuccinimide gave the carbon framework of scholarisine A in moderate yield, which is the first example of intramolecular oxidative-coupling reaction between non-activated enolate and indole. This study lays the foundation for continued investigations towards the total synthesis of scholarisine A.