Synthesis of various model compounds for the central tricyclic ring system of popolophuanone E

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(96)01209-9

An efficient synthesis of various model compounds 4a-e for the tricyclic core of popolophuanone E (1), a novel marine natural product, was accomplished; the method features highly regioselective annulation of the phenols 5a-e with the 2,3-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinones 7, 7c-e. Preliminary studies definitely demonstrated the feasibility of our designed synthetic strategy for 1 (the phenolic subunit I + the quinone subunit II → 1).