The benzophenanthridine alkaloids constitute a large group of metabolites which occur in the Fumariaceae, Papaveraceae, and Rutaceae. l We have recently been attempting to utilize a condensation reaction between Schiff bases and homophthalic anhydrides as an approach to the synthesis of these compounds. 2 The present work was directed toward homochelidonine (1); and the strategy in this case was to employ the condensation of the ...