Synthetic Studies Toward the Martinella Alkaloids

The isolation and structural determination of Martinella alkaloids were first reported in 1995, and since that time these heterocycles have elicited considerable interest from the synthetic community. Although in many respects, these molecules appear to be relatively simple targets, possessing only three stereocenters, an impressive collection of strategies towards the synthesis of these molecules has emerged. This review is a comprehensive overview of both the synthetic approaches to the pyrrolo[3,2-c]quinoline core found in these molecules, as well as a description of the racemic and enantioselective total syntheses reported to date.