Efficient Synthesis of (−)‐Corynoline by Enantioselective Palladium‐Catalyzed α‐Arylation with Sterically Hindered Substrates

Sterically hindered substrates can be employed in an enantioselective palladium‐catalyzed α‐arylation with the chiral monophosphorus ligand BI‐DIME. This process enabled an efficient synthesis of the antidepressant ( S )‐nafenodone, a four‐step enantioselective synthesis of the Sceletium alkaloid (+)‐sceletium A‐4, a concise five‐step enantioselective synthesis of (−)‐corynoline, as well as a three‐step preparation of (−)‐DeN‐corynoline.