(±)-Galanthamine (1) was synthesized in excellent yield by applying PIFA-mediated oxidative phenol coupling of N-(4-hydroxy) phenethyl-N-(3′, 4′, 5′-trialkoxy) benzyl formamide (15b) as a key step. Because of the symmetrical characteristics of the pyrogallol moiety in the substrate (15b), the phenol coupling resulted in a sole coupling product except for volatile components from the oxidizing agent. On the basis of the successful results of ...