Sceptrin as a Potential Biosynthetic Precursor to Complex Pyrrole–Imidazole Alkaloids: The Total Synthesis of Ageliferin

Microwave-induced magic: There is a widely held conviction that the antiviral marine alkaloid ageliferin 1 arises biosynthetically from a Diels–Alder reaction which, although possible, has yet to materialize in the laboratory. A total synthesis of 1 from sceptrin is now reported that has led to a new hypothesis for how 1 and other dimeric pyrrole-imidazole alkaloids might be formed in nature.