Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol.128, No.51, 17057-17062, 2006
Total synthesis of (-)-heptemerone B and (-)-guanacastepene E
A concise, stereoselective, and convergent total synthesis of the unnatural enantiomer of the neodolastane diterpenoid heptemerone B has been completed. Saponification of (-)-heptemerone afforded (-)-guanacastepene E. The absolute stereochemistry of (-)- heptemerone B was thus established as 5-(S), the same as (-)- guanacastepene E. The longest linear sequence of the synthesis comprises 17 (18) steps from simple known starting materials. Our general synthetic approach integrates a diverse set of reactions, including an intramolecular Heck reaction to create one quaternary stereocenter and a cuprate conjugate addition for the establishment of the other. The central seven-membered ring was closed with an uncommon electrochemical oxidation, whereas the five-membered ring was formed through ring-closing metathesis. The absolute configuration of the two key building blocks was established through an asymmetric reduction and an asymmetric ene reaction.