Front Cover: Direct Access to (±)‐10‐Desbromoarborescidine A from Tryptamine and Pentane‐1,5‐diol (Asian J. Org. Chem. 6/2020)

An environmentally benign single step synthetic strategy for the indoloquinolizidine alkaloid, (±)‐10‐desbromoarborescidine A has been achieved. This formal dehydrogenative dehydrative coupling of tryptamine and pentane‐1,5‐diol is efficiently catalyzed by a ruthenium catalyst featuring a proton responsive phosphine‐pyridone ligand. This is a remarkable one‐step synthesis of (±)‐10‐desbromoarborescidine A from saturated alkylating agents. This simple, yet powerful protocol has potential utility in repurposing traditional synthetic approaches for various indoloquinolizidine and harmicine alkaloids. More information can be found in the Communication by Mathieu Achard et al.