The first total synthesis of (+)-sieboldine A was completed in 20 steps from readily available (3aS, 6aR)-3,3a,4,6-atetrahydro-2H-cyclopenta [b]furan-2-one (5). Key steps are: (a) a pinacol-terminated 1,6-enyne cyclization reaction to form the cis-hydrindanone core (11 → 12), (b) formation of the spiro tetrahydrofuran ring by stereoselective DMDO oxidation of tricyclic dihydropyran intermediate 15, and (c) formation of the unprecedented N-hydroxyazacyclononane ring by cyclization of a thioglycoside precursor (18 → 19).In 2003, Kobayashi and co-workers reported the isolation of (+)-sieboldine A (1) from the club moss Lycopodium sieboldii, securing its structure by 2D NMR and X-ray analysis. 1,2 Sieboldine A was reported to inhibit electric eel acetylcholinesterase with an IC 50 value comparable to the Lycopodium alkaloid (±)-huperzine A, 3 although it was the uniqueness of its structure, rather than its biological properties that provoked our interest in its synthesis. Sieboldine A contains an unprecedented N-hydroxyazacyclononane ring embedded in a bicyclo[5.2.1]decane-N,O-acetal. To our knowledge, these functional group arrays were not only previously unknown in natural products, but in the chemical literature as a whole. We report herein the first total synthesis of (+)-sieboldine A (1).Our retrosynthetic plan for preparing sieboldine A (1) is outlined in Scheme 1. The bicyclo [5.2.1]decane-N,O-acetal was expected to be sensitive, so we chose to fashion the Nhydroxyazacyclononane ring last by the coupling of a tethered hydroxylamine with a fivemembered lactol or derivative. 4 The cis-hydrindanone core 3 was seen arising from a pinacolterminated cyclization cascade. 5,6 The enantiomerically pure cis-hydrindanone intermediate 12 was assembled in ten steps from readily available tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]furan-2-one 5 (>99:1 er) (Scheme 2). 7 Methylcuprate-promoted S N 2´ anti-opening of 5 and iodolactonization, as described by Curran for the racemate, 8 provided hexahydrocyclopentafuranone 6 in 93% yield (Scheme 2). Slow addition of this intermediate to a slurry of LiAlH 4 in refluxing THF afforded diol 7. 9 Selective protection of the primary alcohol of 7, followed by Dess-Martin oxidation yielded (2S,4R)-cyclopentanone 8. Conversion of (E)-vinyl iodide 9 10,11 to the corresponding lithium reagent, addition of this species to a THF slurry of CeCl 3 ·2LiCl, and addition of cyclopentanone 8 (all at −78 °C) delivered a single allylic alcohol product in 90% yield. Silylation of this intermediate with triethylsilyl triflate (TESOTf) delivered bis(triethylsilyl)ether 10 in 59% overall yield from cyclopentafuranone 5. 6 The cyclization precursor 11 was readily prepared in 77% overall yield from 10 by Swern oxidation of the primary silyl ether, 13 followed by condensation of the resulting aldehyde with the Ohira-Bestmann reagent. 14 Exposure of enyne 11 at room temperature in CH 2 Cl 2 to the cationic gold(I) catalyst described by Kirsch 6b produced cis-hydrindanone 12 in 78% yield as a single stereoisomer.Th...