We report a concise, stereocontrolled synthesis of the neurotoxic sesquiterpenoid (−)-picrotoxinin (1, PXN). The brevity of the route is due to regio- and stereoselective formation of the [4.3.0] bicyclic core by incorporation of a symmetrizing geminal dimethyl group at C5. Dimethylation then enables selective C–O bond formation in multiple intermediates. A series of strong bond (C–C and C–H) cleavages convert the C5 gem-dimethyl group to the C15 lactone of PXN.

Neuroactive metabolites from the bark of Galbulimima belgraveana occur in variable distributions among trees and are not easily accessible through chemical synthesis because of elaborate bond networks and dense stereochemistry. Previous syntheses of complex congeners such as himgaline have relied on iterative, stepwise installation of multiple methine stereocenters. We decreased the synthetic burden of himgaline chemical space to nearly one-third of the prior best (7 to 9 versus 19 to 31 steps) by cross-coupling high fraction aromatic building blocks (high F sp 2) followed by complete, stereoselective reduction to high fraction sp 3 products (high F sp 3). This short entry into Galbulimima alkaloid space should facilitate extensive chemical exploration and biological interrogation.

The first total syntheses of the natural products pyrophen and campyrones A-C, isolated from the fungus Aspergillus niger, have been achieved in six steps starting from commercially available N-Boc amino acids. Key steps in this sequence include a vinylogous Claisen condensation to achieve fragment coupling and a dioxinone thermolysis/cyclization cascade to form the α-pyrone ring. The route described herein afforded the natural products in 15-25% overall yield, furnishing sufficient material for testing in biological assays.

<div><div><div><p>The first synthesis of GB22 was accomplished by a con- cise, modular route. Two building blocks converged in a novel sp3-sp2 attached-ring coupling that used Ir/Ni dual-catalysis to reverse the regioselectivity of siloxycy- clopropane arylation. This cross-coupling proved general to access β-substituted tetralones via ring-expansion of indanone-derived siloxycyclopropanes. The congested, bridging rings of the GB alkaloids were completed using an aluminum-HFIP complex that effected intramolecular cyclization of an acid-labile substrate.</p></div></div></div>