Regioselective, rhodium-catalyzed hydroformylation of olefinic pyrroli
dine derivatives was utilized as a key step in the formal syntheses of
the indolizidine alkaloids (+/-)-167B, 2, and (+/-)-209D, 3, and the
ant venom pyrrolizidine alkaloid (3S,5R,8S)-3-heptyl-5-methylpyrrolizi
dine, 4.