Recent Advances on Construction of Pyrrolophenanthridone Skeleton

Pyrrolophenanthridone is a common structural motif existing in a number of amaryllidaceae alkaloids, many of which possess a wide range of biological activities. The intriguing structural feature and significant biological activity have attracted much attention from synthetic communities. In the past decades, several excellent synthetic methodologies have been reported, in which intramolecular or intermolecular cross-coupling reaction through transition-metal catalyzed or radical pathway represents the most straightforward method for construction of this skeleton. This review focuses on the construction of pyrrolophenanthridone skeleton and total synthesis of amaryllidaceae alkaloids.