The first total synthesis of discorhabdin A.

The first stereoselective total synthesis of a potent antitumor alkaloid, discorhabdin A (1), which is a unique sulfur-containing pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloid, is described. The key step in the stereocontrolled total synthesis of 1 involves both a diastereoselective oxidative spirocyclization using a hypervalent iodine(III) reagent and an efficient construction of the labile and highly strained N,S-acetal skeleton. These methodologies provide a breakthrough in the total syntheses of these promising new antitumor agents, discorhabdins and their analogues, which should serve as valuable probes for structure-activity studies.