Enantioselective Total Synthesis of [3]‐Ladderanol through Late‐Stage Organocatalytic Desymmetrization**

Abstract

AbstractLadderane phospholipids, with their unusual ladder‐like arrangement of concatenated cyclobutane rings, represent an architecturally unique class of natural products. However, despite their fascinating structure and other necessary impetus, only a few synthetic studies of these molecules have been reported so far. We have now devised a concise total synthesis of [3]‐ladderanol, a component of natural ladderane phospholipids, using an organocatalytic enantioselective desymmetrizing formal C(sp2)−H alkylation. Our synthetic strategy rests on the late‐stage introduction of chirality, thus allowing facile access to both enantiomers of [3]‐ladderanol as well as an analogue. This is the first time a desymmetrization strategy is applied to the synthesis of [3]‐ladderanol. The scope of this desymmetrizing C(sp2)−H alkylation of meso‐cyclobutane‐fused cyclohexenediones is also presented.