A synthetic approach to nomofungin/communesin B

[GRAPHICS] A highly stereoselective intramolecular cycloaddition of an indole tethered to an aza-ortho-xylylene intermediate effects the rapid construction of a substantial portion of the ring system of the cytotoxic natural product communesin B. An analogous cycloaddition involving an orthoquinone methide intermediate provides an adduct that clearly revealed that the structural assignment for nomofungin was in error.