Described are the first enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-arborescidine A ((+)-1),(-)- arborescidine B ((-)-2), and (-)-arborescidine C ((-)-3), via routes that proceeded in five steps and 50% overall yield, eight steps and 61% overall yield, and nine steps and 51% overall yield, respectively, from 6-bromotryptamine (7). The syntheses feature the use of the Noyori catalytic asymmetric hydrogen-transfer reaction to introduce chirality in dihydro-β- ...
[Bremeyer, Nadine; Smith, Stephen C.; Ley, Steven V.; Gaunt, Matthew J. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 2004 , vol. 43, # 20 p. 2681 - 2684]