10.1021/ja00291a077
The study focuses on the development of a novel synthetic strategy for the total synthesis of (f)-hirsutene, a member of the hirsutane family, using a tandem radical cyclization approach. The researchers employed several key chemicals in their synthesis. Vinyl lactone 2 was used as a starting material, which was converted to iodide 3 through a series of reactions involving organolithium reagents and acid hydrolysis. The crucial step involved treating iodide 3 with tri-n-butyltin hydride, catalyzed by AIBN, to generate the transient radical 4, which underwent two successive hex-5-enyl-like radical cyclizations and a hydrogen atom abstraction to produce hirsutene (1) in a single step. The study demonstrated the potential of this tandem radical cyclization method for synthesizing linear condensed cyclopentanoids, with plans to extend this approach to more complex hirsutanoids and related capnellenes.