A Total Synthesis of 1-Methoxycanthin-6-one: An Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of the Canthin-6-one Skeleton from β-Carboline-1-carbaldehyde

A total synthesis of naturally occurring 1-methoxycanthin-6-one is described. In this synthesis, we achieved one-pot conversion from β-carboline-1-carbaldehyde to the canthin-6-one skeleton by the sequential addition of lithium ketene acetal in LiHMDS solution followed by the addition of EtOH in the reaction mixture.