Total synthesis of phorbazole C

The first total synthesis of the marine natural product phorbazole C 1 occurring in the sea sponge Phorbas aff. clathrata is reported. In the key steps of the convergent approach the 3,4-dichloro-5-ethoxycarbonyl-pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (4) forms an amide 9 with protected 4-(2-amino-1-hydroxyethyl)phenol 3 and the central oxazole is established by cyclodehydration of the acylaminoketone 2.