10.1246/bcsj.61.3770
The research aims to develop an efficient and concise method for synthesizing the eudesmane skeleton, which is a significant structural motif in various sesquiterpenes, including (±)-β-eudesmol, cryptomeridiol, and neointermediol. The study employs a strategy based on the use of key intermediates like A or B, which undergo intramolecular cyclization via aldol condensation or Michael reaction. The synthesis starts from readily available 3-vinyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, which is treated with dimethyl malonate in the presence of sodium methoxide to yield the Michael adduct. Subsequent steps involve acetalization, reduction with lithium aluminum hydride, selective benzylation, oxidation with pyridinium dichromate (PDC), and catalytic hydrogenation. The crucial step is the intramolecular aldol condensation, which constructs the desired α,β-unsaturated ketone. The final steps include oxidation, esterification, and selective reduction to obtain the target compounds. The research concludes that this approach provides a general method for constructing eudesmane sesquiterpenes, offering a formal total synthesis of (±)-β-eudesmol and its related compounds.