Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-quinocarcin.

(-)-Quinocarcin (1) has been synthesized in a longest linear sequence of 22 steps from 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde in 16% overall yield. The Pictet-Spengler reaction of L-tert-butyl-2-bromo-5-hydroxy phenylalanate (17), synthesized according to Corey-Lygo's enantioselective alkylation process, with benzoxyacetaldehyde (12) under mild acidic conditions afforded 1,3-cis tetrahydroisoquinoline 20 as an only isolable stereomer in 91% yield. The diazabicycle[3,2,1]-octane ring system of 28 was constructed by a silver tetrafluoroborate-promoted intramolecular Mannich reaction using amino thioether as a latent N-acyliminium species and tethered silyl enol ether as a nucleophile.