Phenazines and natural products; Novel synthesis of saphenic acid

The natural product saphenic acid (6-(1-hydroxyethyl)1-phenazinecarboxylic acid) was synthesized from readily accessible starting materials. The desired product was obtained in an overall yield of 22% for four steps with the key steps being formation of a diphenylamine, followed by cyclization under alkaline and reducing conditions. Assignments of H-1 NMR spectra were achieved by homo- and heteronuclear 1D and 2D correlations. Double pulsed field gradient spin-echo one-dimensional NOESY proved especially valuable for assignment of aromatic protons.