Chemistry of epoxyquinols A, B, and C and epoxytwinol A

The asymmetric total synthesis of epoxyquinols A, B, and C and epoxytwinol A, and computational analysis of the key biomimetic oxidative dimerization procedure are described. In the first-generation synthesis, a HfCl ₄-mediated diastereoselective Diels-Alder reaction of furan with Corey's chiral auxiliary has been developed. In the second-generation synthesis, a chromatography-free preparation of an iodolactone using acryloyl chloride as the dienophile in the Diels-Alder reaction of furan and a lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of a cyclohexenol derivative have been developed. This second-generation synthesis is suitable for large-scale synthesis. A biomimetic cascade reaction involving oxidation, 6π-electrocyclization, and then Diels-Alder dimerization is the key reaction in the formation of the complex heptacyclic structure of epoxyquinols A, B, and C. Epoxytwinol A is synthesized by the cascade reaction involving oxidation, 6π-electrocyclization, and formal [4+4] cycloaddition reactions. A 2H-pyran, generated by oxidation/6π-electrocyclization, acts as a good diene, reacting with several dienophiles to afford polycyclic compounds in one step.