1,5-Electrocyclisation of azomethine ylides leading to pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines-concise construction of the lamellarin skeleton

A new, general route to the 1,2-diaryl-substituted pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines has been developed via the 1,5-dipolar electrocyclisation reactions of azomethine ylides derived from readily available stilbenic acid derivatives. This method was applied to the concise construction of a lamellarin skeleton.