Total synthesis of incarviditone and incarvilleatone.

The total synthesis of the racemic natural products (±)-incarviditone and (±)-incarvilleatone has been accomplished in three steps via biomimetic dimerization of (±)-rengyolone. Homochiral dimerization of (±)-rengyolone affords (±)-incarviditone through a domino oxa-Michael/Michael sequence. Heterochiral dimerization, involving a domino oxa-Michael/Michael/aldol reaction sequence, affords (±)-incarvilleatone. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of a derivative of (±)-incarviditone has resulted in revision of the originally proposed structure.