Short Syntheses of 4-Deoxycarbazomycin B, Sorazolon E, and (+)-Sorazolon E2.

Short syntheses of 4-deoxycarbazomycin B and sorazolon E were established through the condensation of cyclohexanone and commercially available 4-methoxy-2,3-dimethylaniline, followed by PdII -catalyzed dehydrogenative aromatization/intramolecular C-C bond coupling and deprotection. A chiral dinuclear vanadium complex (Ra ,S,S)-6 mediated the enantioselective oxidative coupling of sorazolon E, affording (+)-sorazolon E2 in good enantioselectivity.