Enantiospecific syntheses of pseudopterosin aglycones. Part 1. Synthesis of the putative aglycone of pseudopterosin G–J via an A→AB→ABC annulation strategy

The putative aglycone of pseudopterosin G–J and its enantiomer were synthesised enantiospecifically from 2,3-dimethoxytoluene and η3-allyl cationic complexes of molybdenum and iron respectively. The A→AB→ABC annulation strategy entailed the use of allyl cations or their equivalents for the creation of the three benzylic stereogenic centres. The X-ray structure of tetrahydronaphthalene (−)-41a was determined