The stereoselective synthesis of (−)-pericosine B, which is the antipode of the cytotoxic metabolite of the fungus Periconia byssoides OUPS-N133 separated from the sea hare, was accomplished in 9 steps in 12% total yield from (−)-quinic acid, together with the synthesis of its epimer. Every crucial step of this total synthesis, including ring opening of a β-epoxide and NaBH4reduction of an unstable
The synthesis of two diastereomers of pericosine A from (-)-quinic acid was achieved, thus enabling the confirmation of the relative configuration and elucidation of the absolute stereochemistry of cytotoxic natural product pericosine D assigned as methyl (3R,4R,5S,6R)-6-chloro-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.