Rauwolfia serpentina Benth. was first reported in 1952 by Schlittler et al., 3 and its structure and stereochemistry4 were established soon thereafter through the elegant investigations of the groups of Schlittler, van Tamelen, Weisenborn, and Wenkert. 5 Hardly a year after these reports became public, Woodward and co-workers6 reported the first synthesis of this pentacyclic indole alkaloid. Following a hiatus of over 20 years, a second synthesis of ...
