Total Synthesis of Cryptopleurine and Its Analogues

Abstract Total synthesis of phenanthroquinolizidine alkaloid cryptopleurine was achieved in 8 steps from commercially available 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and the epoxide derived from methyleugenol. The key intermediate vinyl triflate enables the divergent synthesis of crypto­pleurine derivatives by late-stage installation of various substituents on the C-ring.