ORGANIC LETTERS, vol.7, no.7, pp.1339-1342, 2005 (Journal Indexed in SCI)
A one-pot procedure was developed to efficiently prepare hexahydroindolinones containing a tethered furan ring. Reaction of a furanyl azide with Bu3P delivered the iminophosphorane, which was allowed to react with 1-methyl-(2-oxocyclohexyl)acetic acid to give the desired hexahydroindolinone ring system. Further treatment with trifluoroacetic acid afforded the tetracyclic lactam skeleton found in the alkaloid (+/-)-selaginoidine.