Synthesis of (±)-6H-benzofuro[3a,3,2,ef][3]benzazepine:: an unnatural analog of (-)-galanthamine

The first total synthesis of an unnatural analog of the anti-Alzheimer drug (-)-galanthamine has been accomplished using K-3[Fe(CN)](6) in the key step to build up the heterocyclic ring system via an oxidative tandem cyclization. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.