A total synthesis of (-)-ruspolinone

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)96170-8

A synthesis of the pyrrolidine alkaloid (-)-ruspolinone (1) from (2S)-proline in 7 steps and 26% overall yield is presented which assigns the (2S) configuration to (-)-(1). The compound obtained by this route has [α](D)-29.73° compared to a value of zero for the material isolated from the plant suggesting racemisation had occurred during isolation.