An N-acyliminium cyclization approach to a total synthesis of (+)-cylindricine C.

[reaction: see text] Details of problems and solutions encountered during the development of an enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-cylindricine C are described here. The total synthesis itself was accomplished in 8 steps, featuring an N-acyliminium cyclization strategy, the seldom-used Wharton rearrangement, and a key epimerization at C5.