An Efficient Method to Construct the A,B-Rings Component toward Total Syntheses of Phycocyanobilin and Its Derivative as a Photoprobe

Abstract
Total syntheses of phycocyanobilin and its derivative bearing a photoreactive group at the D-ring were accomplished by developing a new and efficient method for the construction of A,B-rings component, which consists of the Wittig-type new coupling reaction of 4-(1-methoxyethyl or 1-tosylethyl)-3-methyl-5-tosyl-1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-one and a 2-formyl pyrrole derivative in the presence of nBu3P and a base, followed by reduction with aluminum amalgam and a subsequent acid or base treatment