Synthesis of (−)-Oxycodone

Our novel synthetic route to (−)-oxycodone, a semisynthetic opioid analgesic, features a palladium-catalyzed direct intramolecular arylation of an aryl bromide, oxidative dearomatization of a dihydrophenanthrenol, formation of a benzylic quaternary carbon by an intramolecular Michael addition of a malonate moiety, and construction of the morphinan skeleton via a Hofmann rearrangement/lactamization cascade.