Synthesis of (S)-(-)-austrocorticin and (S)-(+)-dermolactone: Absolute stereochemistry of the natural products

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)93405-1

The anthraquinones (S)-(-)-austrocorticin (9) and (S)-(+)-dermolactone (2) are synthesised using the chiral dienes 6a and 6b, respectively; comparison with these synthetic compounds establishes that natural austrocorticin has the (R) absolute configuration while dermolactone occurs naturally as a mixture of enantiomers in which the (S) isomer predominates.