Total Synthesis of Salviachinensine A Using a Matteson Homologation Approach

Salviachinensine A, a natural product obtained from the Chinese medicinal plant Salvia chinensis, was synthesized for the first time by employing Donald Matteson's boronic ester homologation. The use of (R,R)-dicyclohexylethane-1,2-diol (DICHED) enabled the generation of the required stereogenic centers in a highly stereoselective fashion. Salviachinensine A was formed in a one-pot protecting group cleavage/lactonization/ intramolecular Friedel–Crafts alkylation, followed by Lewis acid-catalysed cleavage of the acetal protecting groups