A highly stereocontrolled construction of the C-5-epi ABCDE-ring system of rubriflordilactone B has been developed. The present synthesis features a convergent strategy to construct the C-5-epi AB-ring utilizing Mukaiyama-Michael reaction and forge the CDE ring in one step using intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition of triynes.

A highly stereocontrolled synthesis of paeoveitol has been developed in 26% yield, in 7 steps from commercially available materials. The synthetic strategy was inspired primarily by the biogenetic hypothesis and was enabled by hetero-Diels-Alder cycloaddition to construct the target molecular framework.

A highly efficient synthesis of the DEFG-ring system of rubriflordilactone B via polar-radical-crossover cycloaddition and carbonyl allylation/lactonization is described.

α-Enamino esters are synthesized from α-amino acid esters using Cu(ii)-promoted dehydrogenation. Application of the α-enamino esters to the synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles is achieved through oxidative coupling with alkynes under Cu(ii)-promoted conditions.