Heck arylation of endocyclic enecarbamates with diazonium salts. Improvements and a concise enantioselective synthesis of (-)-codonopsinine.

Total enantioselective synthesis of the natural (-)-codonopsinine was accomplished in seven steps with an overall yield of approximately 16% starting from the five-membered endocyclic enecarbamate 4. The total synthesis features a highly efficient and stereoselective Heck arylation of endocyclic enecarbamate 4 with p-methoxybenzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate and a stereoselective epoxidation/epoxide opening sequence as key steps.