Toward the total synthesis of elisapterosin B: A Hg(OTf)(2)-promoted diastereoselective intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction.

As part of an approach to the synthesis of the antitubercular agent elisapterosin B, we prepared two different chiral, non-racemic olefinic substrates and examined their diastereoselective ring closure using mercury salts. The effort yielded potential precurors to elisapterosin B in good yield with good to excellent diastereocontrol.