Total syntheses of (S)- and (R)-nuciferine were accomplished through approach involving diastereoselective reaction between a chiral dihydroisoquinoline enamide and 2-(trimethylsilyl)phenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate promoted by CsF, affording a separable mixture of diastereoisomers, which provided (S)- and (R)-nuciferine via simple and efficient transformations. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd