Abstract The conversion of (-)-2, 3-O-isopropylidene-d-erythronolactone (14) and 2- benzyloxy-6-bromo-4-methoxy-3-methylaniline (18) into {(1R, 2R)-(-)-1-azido-2, 3, 5, 8- tetrahydro-7-methoxy-6-methyl-2-methanesulfonyloxy-5, 8-dioxo-1H-pyrrolo-[1, 2-a] indol-9- yl} methyl phenyl carbonate (39) has been accomplished in 17 steps by way of the enaminone 26. Key steps included the preparation of 26 by a Reformatsky reaction on a ...