An efficient sequential reaction process to polysubstituted indolizidines and quinolizidines and its application to the total synthesis of indolizidine 223A.

The reaction of iodides 1 with delta-chloropropylamines 5 in MeCN assisted with K2CO3 undergoes a sequential S(N)2/Michael addition/SN2/SN2 reaction process to give polysubstituted indolizidines and quinolizidines. Using this method, indolizidine 223A is synthesized from 2-ethyl-2-hexenoic acid in 12 linear steps and 14.5% overall yield. [Reaction: see text]