Molecular Iodine assisted electrocyclisation: Synthesis of Arcyriaflavin A and formal synthesis of Staurosporinone

Abstract

A new method for the synthesis of the indolocarbazole alkaloid arcyriaflavin A is described. The synthetic strategy employs a graphite-catalysed alkenation, one-pot oxidation-Wittig reaction, iodine-catalysed electrocyclisation and nitrene insertion as the key steps. The strategy also constitutes a formal synthesis of another indolocarbazole alkaloid staurosporinone.