Mesembrenone synthesis

A tandem sulfide-contraction and Robinson annelation reaction was used for the synthesis of a me-sembrine analog, A -mesembrenone (133). The aryl-substituted thiobutyrolactam (130) was treated with chloromethyl vinyl ketone followed by diisopropylethylamine to afford A -mesembrenone (133) in good yield (Scheme 29). The reaction probably proceeds through initial sulfide contraction to the intermediate vinyl enaminone (131), which tautomerized to the enamine (132) and underwent intramolecular Michael closure to produce (133). 

Utilization of the endocyclic enamine 62 for the synthesis of mesembrine and mesembrenone Avas reported almost simultaneously from three different... 

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