Asymmetric formal synthesis of (+)-cycloclavine

The asymmetric synthesis of Szantay's amine (+)-2, the pivotal precursor for direct access to (+)-cycloclavine (1), is described for the first time in eleven steps with 19.7% overall yield from the commercially available 4-bromoindole. The strategy features an asymmetric induction by Ellman's sulfinimine and rhodium-catalysed isomerization of the C=C bond.