An efficient method for the preparation of alkaloids polycarpine and polycarpaurines A and C via microwave-assisted three-step
one-pot reaction as the key step has been developed. This is the first report about the synthesis of polycarpaurines A and C. Starting from commercially available
p-methoxybenzaldehyde, polycarpine and polycarpaurine A were obtained over seven steps with 40 and 24 % overall yield, respectively. Polycarpine could convert to polycarpaurine C in 72% yield in the presence of NaHSO
3. The structure of polycarpine and polycarpaurines A and C was confirmed by
1H NMR,
13C NMR, and HRMS.