Cross-coupling of cyclopropanols: concise syntheses of indolizidine 223AB and congeners.

A new synthetic method for indolizidine or pyrrolizidine alkaloids based on readily available and attractively functionalized cyclopropanols, as exemplified in concise syntheses of indolizidine (-)-223AB, its 3-epimer, (-)-indolizidine 239AB, and (-)-indolizidine 239CD, is reported. This work highlights the applications of SN2' alkylation and C-acylation of cyclopropanols to meet stereochemical challenges in natural product synthesis. Also included is diastereoselective cyclization of the resulting aminoallene adduct for bicyclic ring formation.