A Total Synthesis of (+)-Mitragynine

Here, we disclose a concise total synthesis of (+)-mitragynine, which is the enantiomer of one of the analgesic components of the Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) plant. The synthesis proceeds in a linear sequence of seven steps from commercial starting materials and constitutes the shortest preparation of (+)-mitragynine to date. An interesting oxidative cyclization contributes to the convergency of the synthesis.