Furan-2-carboxylic acid was used as a starting material for the synthesis of dehydro-homopilopic acid. Esterification, hydrogenation and enzymatic hydrolysis followed by the reduction of Weinreb amides and a single-step attachment of a 1-methyl-imidazole residue allowed for the concise synthesis of both enantiomers of pilocarpine.
Keywords: alkaloids; enzymatic resolution; pilocarpine.