Formal Synthesis of (±)-Pentalenolactone A Methyl Ester.

We report the formal synthesis of (±)-pentalenolactone A methyl ester from simple 2-methoxyphenol. The key features of our route are as follows: a Diels-Alder reaction of masked o-benzoquinone to assemble the functionalized bicyclo[2.2.2]octenone, a continuous-flow oxa-di-π-methane rearrangement for building the diquinane core (AB ring), and an oxidative cleavage/oxidation sequence for annulation of the δ-lactone (C ring).

A vinylogous Michael addition-triggered quadruple cascade reaction for the enantioselective generation of multiple quaternary stereocenters.

An efficient organocatalytic quadruple cascade reaction resulting in spiroxindole scaffolds bearing five quaternary stereocenters is reported. The complex cascade reaction is triggered by the scarcely explored vinylogous Michael addition of 3-alkylidene oxindoles to fully substituted enones and demonstrates the usefulness of the latter as efficient Michael acceptors in generating complex caged products in 26-92% yields, 14-98% ee and up to >25 : 1 d.r. values.