In a recent publication, Fenical and co-workers [1] reported the structural characterization of the two unique molecular frameworks of sporolides A (1) and B (2; Scheme 1). Isolated from the fermentation broths of a strain of the marine-derived actinomycete Salinispora tropica, these compounds feature molecular architectures that contain 24 carbon atoms (among which only two are not oxygenated or sp 2 hybridized), 10 stereogenic centers, and no less than seven rings. These marine natural products present an intriguing synthetic challenge in view of their unprecedented molecular structures and the opportunity they present for the development of novel synthetic strategies. Herein we report the construction of model system 3, which represents the structural skeleton of sporolide A (1) and B (2) and contains all seven rings of the naturally occurring molecules, through a cascade sequence involving an unprecedented intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition reaction of an olefinic o-quinone.Scheme 2 shows the retrosynthetic analysis of the sporolide model system 3. Thus, the target molecule was envisioned to arise by selective manipulation of the trioxygenated aromatic nucleus of hexacyclic compound 4 a, whose macrocycle and dioxane moieties were simultaneously dismantled through a retro o-quinone [4+2] cycloaddition reaction to reveal o-quinone ester 5 as a possible intermediate, whose generation from catechol 6 was considered standard. While the origin of precursor 6 was clear (that is, from building blocks 7 and 8), the transformation of o-quinone 5 to macrocycle 4 a through the intended cycloaddition reaction was based on a rather daring hypothesis since we were aware of no precedent for such an intramolecular reaction of an o-quinone. [2,3] Furthermore, should such a scenario be possible, its stereochemical outcome could only be speculated upon at the outset. Encouragingly, both molecular models and molecular mechanics calculations, together with electronic considerations, indicated the desired regio-and diatereoisomer to be favored. Thus, of the four possible isomers of 4 a (4 a-4 d, Scheme 3), the desired isomer 4 a was predicted to be the most favored on the basis of electronic (preferential activation of the C6-carbonyl oxygen atom by the C4'-OBn moiety; conjugated addition of the C6-carbonyl oxygen atom onto C10 of the olefinic bond, Scheme 1. Molecular structures of sporolides A (1) and B (2) as well as sporolide ring framework 3.Scheme 2. Retrosynthetic analysis of sporolide ring framework 3.