Martin G. Banwell, John N. Lambert, Jacqueline M. Gulbis and Maureen F. Mackay
J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1990, 1450-1452
DOI:
10.1039/C39900001450,
Paper
The tetracyclic compound 3a, which has been synthesised in nine steps from the known cyclohexenone 6, reacts with 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) to give desacetamidoisocolchicine 2 in 84% yield; the acquisition of 2 constitutes a formal total synthesis of the alkaloid colchicine 1.
