Herein, we report a transition-metal-free annulation reaction of benzynes and 1,3-oxopentanedioate for the synthesis of highly functionalized naphthalene derivatives for the first time. Additionally, the representative naphthalene derivatives have been successfully transformed into the new series of rhodamine dye analogues.

In this report, an expeditious synthesis of two new biologically active marine natural products serinolamide A and columbamide D is documented. This convergent approach involves the key steps such as hydrolytic kinetic resolution, cross metathesis, Grignard reaction, Johnson–Claisen rearrangement, Mitsunobu, and so forth. Both of the target molecules were obtained from a common precursor ( R )- 7 with high enantioselectivity, less synthetic steps, and in good overall yields (serinolamide A 66% and columbamide D 62%).

An expedient one-pot synthesis of carbocyclic spiro[5.5]undeca-1,4-dien-3-ones via 1,6-conjugate addition initiated formal [4+2] annulation sequences by employing p-quinone methides and sulfonyl allenols.