Studies toward the total synthesis of clavulactone

Synthetic studies directed toward a total synthesis of clavulactone are reported. In light of the analysis made in our previous work, cyclopentane 4a (a key intermediate in the present work) was synthesized through a radical-mediated ring closure of a rationally designed substrate 25. Using HWE reactions, the lower and upper side-chains of 4a were converted into an allyl chloride and an allyl cyanohydrin, respectively. Subsequent treatment of the allyl chloride/cyanohydrin in a highly diluted THF solution with sodium bis(trimethylsiliyl)amide led to intramolecular alkylation and thus completed a major endeavor in synthesizing the dolabellane framework, construction of the eleven-membered ring. SmI(2)-mediated lactonization as a model reaction for the formation of the alpha,beta-unsaturated delta-lactone segment of clavulactone is also described.