Volume 64, Issue 30 e202507638
Communication

Enantioselective Divergent Total Syntheses of Cycloaurenones and Dysiherbols

Yu-Hao Huang

Yu-Hao Huang

Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058 China

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, 310030 China

Search for more papers by this author
Qing-Xiu Gu

Qing-Xiu Gu

Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058 China

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, 310030 China

Search for more papers by this author
Qing-Cen Chao

Qing-Cen Chao

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, 310030 China

Search for more papers by this author
Han-Zhi Xiao

Han-Zhi Xiao

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, 310030 China

Search for more papers by this author
Hai-Hua Lu

Corresponding Author

Hai-Hua Lu

Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Precise Synthesis of Functional Molecules, Department of Chemistry, and Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, 600 Dunyu Road, Hangzhou, 310030 China

Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, 310024 China

E-mail: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author

Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Wen-Jing Xiao on the occasion of his 60th birthday and to Prof. Dr. Markus Kalesse on the occasion of his retirement

First published: 15 April 2025

Graphical Abstract

We report the enantiodivergent syntheses of cycloaurenones and dysiherbols via a common cyclohexadienone intermediate, that is, a local desymmetric Giese–Baran-type cyclization and a copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition reaction. This cyclohexadienone was obtained by a bidirectional synthesis from a chiral bis-Weinreb amide, with stereocenters set by a novel Rh-catalyzed hydrogenation (>99:1 chiral/meso ratio, >99% e.e.).

Abstract

Cycloaurenones and dysiherbols are naturally occurring sesquiterpene quinones/quinols that share a 6/6/5/6 tetracyclic carbon skeleton with either a cis- or trans-decalin system containing four contiguous stereocenters, including three contiguous all-carbon quaternary stereocenters. Total syntheses of cycloaurenones have not been reported. Herein, we present the first enantiodivergent syntheses of cycloaurenones and dysiherbols based on manipulation of a common cyclohexadienone intermediate: namely, a local desymmetric Giese–Baran-type cyclization for cycloaurenones and a copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition for dysiherbols. Moreover, the key cyclohexadienone intermediate was readily accessible by a bidirectional approach from a chiral bis-Weinreb amide. The 1,4-nonadjacent stereocenters were installed by an unprecedented enantioselective hydrogenation of the corresponding bis-α,β-unsaturated Weinreb amide (>99:1 chiral/meso ratio, >99% enantiomeric excess).

Conflict of Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

Research data are not shared.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.