2,3,7,8-Oxygenated benzo phenanthridines, synthesis

Ishii et al. found that the sequence developed by Zee-Cheng and Cheng had limited applicability to the synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridines with a 7,8,10 oxygenated substituent pattern in ring D, such as the cytotoxic alkaloids chelilutine 71 and chelirubine 72 (85CPB4139). The presence of an alkoxy group para to the position to be cyclized in the aliphatic formamide... 

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