Total Syntheses of Aporphine Alkaloids via Benzyne Chemistry: An Approach to the Formation of Aporphine Cores

Total syntheses of lysicamine, (+/-)-nuciferine, (+/-)-nomuciferine, (+/-)-zanthoxyphylline iodide, (+/-)-O-methylisothebaine, and (+/-)-trimethoxynoraporphine were accomplished by an approach that involves the formation of aporphine cores through reactions between an isoquinoline derivative and silylaryl triflates promoted by CsF. Unprecedented formations of aporphine cores proceeded in good yields presumably through [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions followed by hydrogen migrations.