The development of two approaches for the enantioselective total synthesis of FR900482 is described. A precursor for the formation of the benzazocine ring was assembled effectively by a modification of the Sonogashira coupling of an aryl triflate with a chiral acetylene unit derived from tartaric acid and the subsequent novel ketone formation via conjugate addition of pyrrolidine to the o-nitrophenylacetylene derivative. The first-generation approach to the ...