Total Syntheses of Hyperforin and Papuaforins A-C, and Formal Synthesis of Nemorosone through a Gold(I)-Catalyzed Carbocyclization

The remarkable biological activities of polyprenylated polycyclic acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) combined with their highly decorated bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-2,4,9-trione frameworks have inspired synthetic organic chemists over the last decade. The concise total syntheses of four natural products PPAPs; hyperforin and papuaforins A-C, and the formal synthesis of nemorosone are reported. Key to the realization of this strategy is the short and scalable synthesis of densely substituted PPAP scaffolds through a gold(I)-catalyzed 6-endo-dig carbocyclization of cyclic enol ethers for late-stage functionalization.