Total synthesis of (-)-panduratin D.

Herein, an enantioselective total synthesis of (-)-panduratin D, a novel secondary metabolite against human pancreatic PANC-1 cancer cell, from commercially available 3-methoxyphenol is reported. The synthesis was completed in nine steps and the key features include coupling, anionic Snieckus-Fries rearrangement, directed ortho metalation, tandem Si → C Alkyl rearrangement/Claisen-Schmidt condensation, and chiral boron complex-promoted asymmetric Diels-Alder cycloaddition. These endeavors could facilitate the biological studies of (-)-panduratin D and its analogs.