Organosilicon-mediated total synthesis of the triquinane sesquiterpenes (±)-β-isocomene and (±)-isocomene.

We describe an efficient total synthesis of the sesquiterpenes (±)-β-isocomene and (±)-isocomene using a Lewis acid-promoted [3 + 2] cycloaddition of allyl-tert-butyldiphenylsilane as the key-step.