Formal total synthesis of (±)-martinellic acid

A concise formal total synthesis of the pyrrolo[3,2-c]quinoline containing natural product, martinellic acid, has been achieved from a pyrroloquinol-2-one through addition of a copper acetylide to an iminium ion. Global deprotection and alkyne reduction then provides the tricyclic triamine, which can be converted to martinelline and martinellic acid.