An NBS-promoted intramolecular electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction of a hexahydroindolinone derivative was used to assemble the tetracyclic core of the erythrinane skeleton. The resulting cyclized product was transformed into (±)-erysotramidine in three additional steps. The cyclization reaction is also successful using variously substituted aryl and furanyl bicyclic lactams under acidic conditions.