Recent progress in the synthesis of indole alkaloids

Reductive photocyclization of enamides has been proved as a useful reaction for the construction of the skeleton of indole alkaloids, thus providing a general and convenient synthesis of alkaloids. This synthetic methodology features first synthesizing the skeleton of alkaloids followed by the elaboration of a partial structure with the appropriate substituents, and has been successfully applied to the synthesis of various groups of indole alkaloids including ergot, yohimbine, and corynantheine groups