Total synthesis of (-)-stemonine.

[reaction: see text] An enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-stemonine (1) is reported via a convergent assembly of the acyclic precursor 2. Key transformations include a Staudinger-aza-Wittig reaction to form the central perhydroazepine ring system and an iodine-induced tandem cyclization to construct the pyrrolidino-butyrolactone framework.