A concise formal synthesis of luotonin A

N-Acetyl-2-azetine undergoes Lewis acid catalysed [4+2] cycloaddition fragmentation reactions with imines derived from aniline to give 2,3-disubstituted quinolines. This chemistry was extended to a 2-glyoxylate imine to give rapid access to an advanced precursor to the antitumour alkaloid luotonin A.