Accessing the Structural Diversity of Pyridone Alkaloids: Concise Total Synthesis of Rac-Citridone A

A unique route to the structural diversity of pyridone alkaloids is described based on the concept of a common synthetic strategy. Three different core structure analogues corresponding to akanthomycin, septoriamycin A, and cltridone A have been prepared by using a highly selective and novel carbocyclization reaction.