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Synfacts 2006(6): 0535-0535  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-934490
Synthesis of Natural Products and Potential Drugs
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of (±)-Physostigmine

Contributor(s): Philip Kocienski, Thomas Snaddon
C. Mukai*, T. Yoshida, M. Sorimachi, A. Odani
Kanazawa University and Nagoya University, Japan
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Publication History

Publication Date:
19 May 2006 (online)

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Significance

Physostigmine, isolated from Calabar beans, inhibits acetylcholinesterase. The key step in this synthesis, the Co2(CO)8-catalyzed intramolecular hetero-Pauson-Khand reaction, provides rapid access to tricyclic pyrrolo[2,3-b]indol-2-one C from easily accessible (trimethyl­silyl)alkyne B.