Synthesis of the lycopodium alkaloid (+)-lycoflexine.

The first total synthesis of (+)-lycoflexine (1), a constituent of Lycopodium clavatum var. inflexum , has been accomplished in eight steps with 13% overall yield. Our synthesis covers four one-pot reactions, including a tandem Sakurai/aldol sequence, a novel hydroboration/oxidation procedure, a deprotection/transannular Mannich reaction, and as a highlight, a tandem catalysis cascade combining an enynene ring-closing metathesis and a selective hydrogenation.

Total synthesis of valerenic acid, a potent GABAA receptor modulator.

The first total synthesis of the sesquiterpenoid valerenic acid, a constituent of Valeriana officinalis, is described. The compound is a potent modulator of the GABA(A) receptor and may thus be useful in the treatment of various dysfunctions of the central nervous system. The synthesis is enantio-, diastereo-, and regiocontrolled and utilizes an enyne-RCM, a metal-coordinated Diels-Alder reaction, a hydroxy-directed Crabtree hydrogenation, and a Negishi methylation as key steps.