Synthesis of norsesterterpene rac- and ent-rhopaloic acid A

The stereoselective synthesis of rac- and ent-rhopaloic acid A 1 has been accomplished, via successive homologation of (2E,6E)-farnesol 2 and cyclization to form a tetrahydropyran ring, together with final introduction of an α-methylene group; the asymmetric synthesis was achieved via an Evans’ asymmetric alkylation using (S)-4-benzyloxazolidin-2-one as a chiral auxiliary; the synthetic rhopaloic acid A, with a predicted absolute configuration of (2S,5R), had a specific rotation of opposite sign to that of the natural product, and therefore the configuration of natural rhopaloic acid A should be assigned as (2R,5S).