Phenanthroviridin aglycon, 14, recently isolated from Streptomyces viridiochromogenes DSM 3972, and the corresponding pyridone 10 have been synthesized from the common intermediate (bromoaryl)naphthamide 42. This was prepared by condensation of a (trimethysilyl)ethyl (bromoaryl)cinnamate 36 and a methoxy-substituted cyanophthalide anion 15, providing the ABD rings of the target benzo[b]phenanthridine skeleton. The aglycon 14 was obtained by a sequence of metal-halogen exchange and formylation, Hofmann rearrangement, cyclization, and deprotection