Total Synthesis of Rubriflordilactone A

The first and asymmetric total synthesis of rubriflordilactone A, a bisnortriterpenoid isolated from Schisandra rubriflora, has been accomplished in a convergent manner. Two enantioenriched fragments were forged together to give a functionalized <i>cis</i>-triene. A 6π-electrocyclization/aromatization sequence assembled the penta-substituted arene, and a formal vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction introduced the butenolide side chain