Highly Stereoselective Diels-Alder-Based Strategy for the Synthesis of 3- epi-Formicin A and 1- epi-Formicin B

Org Lett. 2024 May 10;26(18):3961-3965. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01209. Epub 2024 Apr 28.

Abstract

The first enantioselective approach based on a highly stereoselective Diels-Alder reaction for the synthesis of 3-epi-formicin A and 1-epi-formicin B with rare N-acetylcysteamine-containing indenone thioesters is reported. The strategy utilizes a key Diels-Alder reaction to form the core hydrindane system with three contiguous stereocenters in very high levels of diastereo- and regioselectivity and one-pot oxidation/isomerization/dehydrogenation. The scope of this method was tested with different substrates to give cycloadducts in a highly diastereoselective manner.