Dysidavarone A is a sesquiterpene isolated from the South China Sea sponge Dysidea avara and was reported that it showed significant anticancer activities. Because the compound has unique ‘dysidavarane’ carbon skeleton and potent biological activity, a seven-step stereoselectivesynthesis of dysidavarone A was developed. The key steps of the synthesis involved stereoselective reductive-alkylation,
carbon skeleton has been accomplished by a convergent strategy, involving a stereoselective reductive alkylation of a Wieland-Miescher type ketone under Birch conditions and an advantageous intramolecular palladium-catalyzedα-arylation of a sterically hindered ketone. Dysidavarone A showed potent antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities based on characteristic morphological changes of treated cells