A modular and streamlined synthetic strategy for the generation of bridged indole alkaloid-like heterocycles from easily available building blocks is elaborated. This approach utilizes an Ugi four-component reaction, establishing diversity, followed by an efficient cationic gold-triggered intramolecular cascade non-oxidative dearomative spirocarbocyclization/concerted [4 + 2] cyclization cascade, furnishing these architecturally complex and distinct bridged heterocyclic scaffolds with good diastereoselectivity.
He, Y., Liu, Z., Wu, D., Li, Z., Robeyns, K., Van Meervelt, L., & Van der Eycken, E. V. (2019). Modular Access to Diverse Bridged Indole Alkaloid Mimics via a Gold-Triggered Cascade Dearomative Spirocarbocyclization/[4 + 2] Cycloaddition Sequence. Organic Letters, 21(12), 4469-4474. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.orglett.9b01296 (Original work published 2019)