Abstract A synthesis of functionalized phenolic α-amino-alcohols (±)-8 and (±)-16 as synthetic precursors of the catechol tetrahydroisoquinoline structure of phthalascidin 650 was disclosed.(±)-8 was prepared in 5 steps from the commercially available sesamol. Starting from 3-methyl catechol 5, 8 steps gave rise to the synthesis of phenolic α-amino- alcohol (±)-16 in 27% overall yield. This synthetic strategy involved the elaboration of fully ...