An oxidative cyclization of 1‐(2‐aminophenyl)pyrrole with styrenes has been developed for the synthesis of pyrrolo[1, 2‐a]quinoxaline derivatives using I2/2‐iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) in DMSO as an effective oxidant. I2 is found to catalyze effectively the oxidative cyclization of phenylacetylene and ethyl benzoylacetate with 1‐(2‐aminophenyl)pyrrole even in the absence of IBX to generate pyrrolo[1, 2‐a]quinoxaline derivatives under metal‐free conditions.

An efficient, short and, a convenient asymmetric total synthesis of filamentous fungi related resorcylic acid lactones 7-epi-zeaenol (2) and zeaenol (1) have been achieved in 7 and 9 linear steps with the high overall yield of 32% and 21% respectively, from the known intermediate 13. Mitsunobu inversion, De Brabander’s protocol for macrolactonisation, Heck cross-coupling, diastereoselective alkyne aldehyde coupling and Ohira–Bestmann alkynylation are the key reactions.

No abstract