Furans as Versatile Synthons: Total Syntheses of Caribenol A and Caribenol B

Two complex norditerpenoids, caribenols A and B, were accessed from a common building block. Our synthesis of caribenol A features the diastereoselective formation of the seven-membered ring through a Friedel-Crafts triflation and a late-stage oxidation of a furan ring. The first synthesis of caribenol B was achieved using an intramolecular organocatalytic α-arylation. An unusual intramolecular aldol addition was developed for the assembly of its cyclopentenone moiety, and the challenging trans-diol moiety was installed through a selective nucleophilic addition to a hydroxy 1,2-diketone. Our overall synthetic strategy, which also resulted in a second-generation synthesis of amphilectolide, confirms the usefulness of furans as powerful nucleophiles and versatile synthons.