A Scalable Total Synthesis of the Antitumor Agents Et-743 and Lurbinectedin

An efficient and scalable approach is described for the total synthesis of the marine natural product Et-743 and its derivative lubinectedin, which are valuable antitumor compounds. The method delivers 1.6 % overall yield in 26 total steps from Cbz-protected (S)-tyrosine. It features the use of a common advanced intermediate to create the right and left parts of these compounds, and a light-mediated remote C-H bond activation to assemble a benzo[1,3]dioxole-containing intermediate.