Concise Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Daphenylline Enabled by an Intramolecular Oxidative Dearomatization.

Daphenylline is a structurally unique member of the triterpenoid natural alkaloids, which exhibit intriguing biological activities. Six total syntheses have been reported, five of which utilize aromatization approaches. Herein, we report a concise protecting-group-free total synthesis by means of a novel intramolecular oxidative dearomatization reaction, which concurrently generates the critical seven-membered ring and the quaternary-containing vicinal stereocenters.

Optically Active Flavaglines-Inspired Molecules by a Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Dearomative Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation.

With the aid of a class of newly discovered Trost-type bisphosphine ligands bearing a chiral cycloalkane framework, the Pd-catalyzed decarboxylative dearomative asymmetric allylic alkylation (AAA) of benzofurans was achieved with high efficiency [0.2-1.0 mol% Pd(dba)/], good generality, and high enantioselectivity (>30 examples, 82-99% yield and 90-96% ee).