Concise total synthesis of albaflavenone utilizing sequential intramolecular aldol condensation: determination of absolute configuration.

Abstract

The first total synthesis of albaflavenone, a novel antibiotic sesquiterpene, has been accomplished via the concise construction of its zizaene skeleton utilizing sequential intramolecular aldol condensation followed by chemo- and diastereoselective reduction of the conjugated carbon-carbon double bond. This synthetic work was completed in nine steps from 2-cyclopenten-1-one as a starting material without the use of protecting groups and with high stereocontrol. In addition, the absolute configuration of naturally occurring albaflavenone was determined to be 1R,2S and 8S.