Condensation of the Schiff base 8 with 3, 4-(methy1enedioxy) homophthalic anhydride (13) was exploited as the key step in a total synthesis of the benzophenanthridine alkaloid (*)- chelidonine (1). A variety of reaction conditions were investigated in order to maximize the production of the desired thermodynamically less stable cis diastereomer. A method was devised for the conversion of 24 to its acid chloride without production of the indeno [l, 2-c] ...