Synthesis of the A-D Ring System of the Gambieric Acids.

The A-D fragment of gambieric acids A and C has been synthesized using an asymmetric Tsuji-Trost allylation reaction to couple the two key segments. The A ring fragment has been prepared by a short and highly efficient route involving diastereoselective Lewis acid mediated alkylation of an acetal. Iterative ring-closing metathesis reactions have been used to construct cyclic ethers and assemble the tricyclic B-D fragment.