An expedient synthesis of salviadione

An expedient synthesis of the alkaloid salviadione, the only to date isolated naturally occurring 1H-benzo [def]carbazole is described. The key step in the synthesis is a palladium-catalyzed, carbon monoxide-mediated reductive N-heterocyclization of a nitroarene with an adjacent alkene. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.