Starting from (+)-17,18-dehydroapovincamine, a new delta-lactone bridg
ed apovincamine derivative (6) was synthesized in two steps involving
oxidative hydroboration followed by catalytic hydrogenation. The struc
ture elucidation of this compound, the intermediate and the by-product
s was performed by IR, H-1- and C-13-NMR methods including DNOE measur
ements.