Syntheses of the amathamides A and B ((2S)-N-[(E and Z)-2(2,4-dibromo-5-methoxyphenylethenyl]-1-methyl-2-pyrrolinecarboxamides), new alkaloids isolated from the Tasmanian marine bryozoan Amathia wilsoni, were accomplished by a sequence of reactions starting from 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.