Construction of Iterative Tetrahydrofuran Ring Units and Total Synthesis of (+)-Goniocin

Org Lett. 2016 May 6;18(9):2248-51. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.6b00877. Epub 2016 Apr 25.

Abstract

Cytotoxic acetogenin (+)-goniocin has been synthesized in 17 steps from (R)-O-tritylglycidol. The core structure of the contiguous C22-C10 threo-trans-threo-trans-threo-trans-tris-tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring involving an iterative THF-ring unit was synthesized. An iterative THF ring unit was constructed from an alkenyl-substituted THF ring in four steps including a Pd(II)-catalyzed ring-closing reaction and cross-metathesis. This method is general and allows the preparation of both trans-threo-trans- and trans-threo-cis-THF ring units flexibly.