Total synthesis of indole and dihydroindole alkaloids. VII. The total synthesis of isovelbanamine, velbanamine, cleavamine, 18beta-carbomethoxycleavamine and catharanthine.

A synthesis of a variety of nine-membered ring intermediates in the cleavaminevelbanamine series is described. The formation of the penultimate intermediate involves a fragmentation reaction in which the cleavamine system is generated from an appropriate rigid pentacyclic Iboga alkaloid derivative. Thus dihydrocatharanthinol tosylate (VIII) on reaction with triethylamine in refluxing benzene undergoes fragmentation to the 5, 18-seco-diene X. This latter substance is then elaborated in various ways to the desired compounds.