A Pauson−Khand Approach to the Hamigerans

An intramolecular Pauson-Khand reaction has been used in the construction of the tricyclic core common to the hamigeran terpenes. For effective cyclization, it was necessary to tether the olefin-containing moiety to the aromatic framework to reduce its conformation mobility; this was accomplished using a silylene protecting group. Efficient construction of the aryl enyne from a salicylic acid derivative was accomplished via ortho lithiation and Sonogashira cross-coupling chemistry.