Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS)
Abstract
A reaction sequence, involving the addition of (substituted) propargylsilanes to lactate-derived N-acyliminium ions followed by gold-catalyzed cyclization of the resulting alpha-allenyl amide, is applied in expedient syntheses of pyrrolizidine alkaloids heliotridine and ent-retronecine in five steps from (S)-malic acid.