Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-agelastatin a using sulfinimine (N-sulfinyl imine) derived methodologies.

The asymmetric synthesis of the cytotoxic marine metabolite (-)-agelastatin A (1) has been achieved from the C-ring intermediate 4,5-diamino cyclopenten-2-enone (-)-2. This key intermediate was efficiently prepared from the sulfinimine-derived alpha,beta-diamino ester 4 using ring-closing metathesis. [reaction: see text]