, thereby disfavoring the near planar conformation required for displacement of pivaloate by the nitrogen atom. This hypothesis is supported by the 1H NMR spectrum of 13, in which the CH2 protons adjacent to the A ring are diastereotopic. Reverting to our original proposal for protoberberine synthesis, 13 could be isolated in 94 % yield by the treating precursor 12 first with NH4Cl, which gave a mixture of 13 and an isochromene side product (see the Supporting Information for details), then basification with NH4HCO3 and further heating to convert the isochromene into 13. To introduce a more effective leaving group and so increase the rate of cyclization, the pivaloate ester was removed by DIBAL-H reduction. Transformation of the alcohol to the chloride by the action of SOCl2 in MeCN, with subsequent solvent exchange and heating afforded dehydrocorydaline chloride in 86 % yield over three steps, and hence an overall yield of 47 % for the total synthesis. The spectroscopic data for this compound were a good match with those reported for the natural product.15a,c