Abstract
The first synthesis of the phthalideisoquinoline hemiacetal egenine is reported, along with spectral data suggesting that egenine and decumbensine are one and the same. These synthetic studies are part of a larger investigation into the face-selectivity of additions of chiral dipole-stabilized organometallics to aldehydes. The synthesis of egenine and the correlation to bicuculline diol establish the absolute configuration of the major stereoisomer formed as being opposite to that expected based on earlier work.
The first synthesis of the phthalideisoquinoline egenine is reported, along with spectral data suggesting that egenine and decumbensine are one and the same.