A Straightforward Synthesisof (S)-Anabasine via the Catalytic, Enantio-selectiveVinylogous Mukaiyama-Mannich Reaction

The tobacco alkaloid (S)-anabasine was synthesized by a straightforward 4-step sequence with the catalytic enantioselective vinylogous Mannich reaction as a key step. Only 3 mol% of a structurally optimized chiral BINOL-based phosphoric acid was employed to control the absolute configuration of the natural product.