Two independent synthetic approaches were evaluated for the final phase of the asymmetric total synthesis of propindilactone G (1). The key steps that led to the completion of the asymmetric total synthesis included: 1) an intermolecular oxidative heterocoupling reaction of enolsilanes to link the core structure to the side chain; 2) an intermolecular Wittig reaction for the formation of the α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated ester; and 3) a regio- and stereoselective OsO₄-catalyzed dihydroxylation of an α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated enone, followed by an intramolecular lactonization reaction to afford the final product. These reactions enabled the synthesis of (+)-propindilactone G in only 20 steps. As a consequence of our synthetic studies, the structure of (+)-propindilactone G has been revised. Furthermore, the direct oxidative coupling strategy for ligation of the core of propindilactone G with its side chain may find application in the syntheses of other natural products and complex molecules.

The enantioselective synthesis of the fully functionalized BCDE tetracyclic ring system of propindilactone G (A) is reported. Several synthetic methods were developed and applied to achieve this goal, including: 1) an asymmetric Diels–Alder reaction in the presence of Hayashi′s catalyst for the synthesis of optically pure key intermediate 3; 2) an intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction (PKR) for the stereoselective synthesis of the BCDE ring with an all-carbon chiral quaternary center at the C13 position by using the TMS-substituted acetylene as the substrate; and 3) Pd-catalyzed reductive hydrogenolysis for the stereoselective synthesis of the fully functionalized BCDE tetracyclic ring system. The chemistry developed herein provided a greater understanding of the total synthesis propindilactone G (A) and its analogues.

Our first-generation synthetic study towards the total synthesis of propindilactone G (1) and its analogues is reported. The key synthetic steps were an intramolecular Pauson–Khand reaction (PKR) and a vinylogous Mukaiyama reaction (VMAR). The stereoselective synthesis of the CDE ring moiety with an all-carbon quaternary center through a PKR was difficult, whilst a VMAR afforded a product with the opposite stereochemistry at the C20 position on the side chain. These results led us to redesign our synthetic strategy for the total synthesis of compound 1.