Isolation, Synthesis, and Semisynthesis of Amaryllidaceae Constituents from Narcissus and Galanthus sp.: De Novo Total Synthesis of 2-epi-Narciclasine

An efficient protocol for the isolation of narciclasine from common Amaryllidaceae bulbs, separation from haemanthamine, and the occurrence of a trace alkaloid, 2- epi-narciclasine, are reported. Attempts to convert natural narciclasine to its C-2 epimer by Mitsunobu inversion or oxidation/reduction sequences were compromised by rearrangement and aromatization processes, through which a synthesis of the alkaloid narciprimine was achieved. The …