Biomimetic total synthesis of homodimericin A

Abstract

Homodimericin A is a fascinating fungal metabolite and a highly oxygenated cage-like polyketide. A practical total synthesis of homodimericin A has been achieved in 7 steps. The synthesis features a basic aqueous buffer promoted dimerization of quinone monomers, a thermal intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction and a carbonyl–ene cyclization cascade.