Enantioselective total synthesis of aperidine.

An efficient total synthesis of aperidine was accomplished using a Rh-catalyzed C-H insertion of a cis-dihydrobenzofuran ring. To circumvent the facile epimerization of the cis-dihydrobenzofuran ring, we designed and prepared the C-H insertion precursor diazoamide by Raines' protocol. Finally, the efficient incorporation of a guanidine group and mild deprotection conditions yielded this labile natural product.