Total Synthesis of (+)-Cytosporolide A via a Biomimetic Hetero-Diels-Alder Reaction

The first total synthesis of (+)-cytosporolide A was achieved by a biomimetic hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of (¯)-fuscoatrol A with o-quinone methide generated from (+)-CJ-12,373. The dienophile, highly oxygenated caryophyllene sesquiterpenoid (¯)-fuscoatrol A, was synthesized from the synthetic intermediate in our previous total synthesis of (+)-pestalotiopsin A. The o-quinone methide precursor, isochroman carboxylic acid (+)-CJ-12,373, was synthesized through a Kolbe-Schmitt reaction and an oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction. The hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of these two compounds proceeded with complete chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity to produce the complicated pentacyclic ring system of the cytosporolide skeleton. This total synthesis unambiguously demonstrates that natural cytosporolide A has the structure previously suggested.