Forming spirocyclohexadienone-oxocarbenium cation species in the biomimetic synthesis of amomols.

The oxidation of appropriate 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl ketones gives direct access to amomols by means of the formation of a transient spirocyclohexadienone-oxocarbenium ion that is intermolecularly intercepted by an alcohol. Furthermore, homochiral amomols and other new analogues were synthesized for the first time and were biologically evaluated on Plasmodium falciparum.