Total Synthesis of (−)-Nodulisporic Acids D, C, and B: Evolution of a Unified Synthetic Strategy

A unified synthetic strategy leading to the total synthesis of (−)-nodulisporic acids D, C, and B is described. Key synthetic transformations include a nickel–chromium-mediated cyclization, an aromatic ring functionalization employing a novel copper-promoted alkylation, a palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling cascade/indole ring construction, and a palladium-mediated regio- and diastereoselective allylic substitution/cyclization reaction, the latter to construct ring D