Total Synthesis of the Marine Alkaloid Mansouramycin D

Mansouramycin D, a cytotoxic alkaloid was isolated from a marine Streptomyces sp. in 2009. The first, simple, and concise route to the total synthesis of Mansouramycin D is reported. The core structure of the isoquinoline ring has been constructed from iminoannulation of 2-alkynylbenzaldehyde followed by oxidation/deprotection and oxidative amination via a three-step sequence from easily accessible starting materials.