Construction of the Erythrinane Core Skeleton via Asymmetric Catalytic Cascade Reaction of Tertiary Enamides.

We report herein an efficient cascade strategy for the rapid construction of a highly enantioenriched erythrinane core skeleton. Under the sequential catalysis of a chiral Cr(III)(salen)Cl and InCl3, cyclohexanone-derived tertiary enamides undergo an intramolecular enantioselective nucleophilic addition followed by diastereoselective Pictet-Spengler cyclization. This method is highly enantio- and diastereoselective, leading to diverse erythrina alkaloid derivatives as the sole diastereoisomer with up to 98% ee.