Asymmetric total syntheses of (-)-penicipyrone and (-)-tenuipyrone via biomimetic cascade intermolecular Michael addition/cycloketalization.

The first total syntheses of (-)-penicipyrone and (-)-tenuipyrone were accomplished enantioselectively in 12 steps with an 11% yield and 6 steps with a 28% yield from the known 4-((tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy)-cyclopent-2-enone, respectively, by developing a biomimetic bimolecular cascade cyclization featuring an intermolecular Michael addition/cyclo-(spiro-)ketalization sequence. The relative, absolute stereochemistry and carbon connectivity of penicipyrone was further confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis and comparison of optical rotations.