A Synthesis of the Pseudopterosin A-F Aglycone

The synthesis of the pseudopterosin A-F aglycone from 3-methylcatechol features (a) the use of asymmetric Ireland-Claisen and aryl Claisen rearrangements to install three of the four stereocentres present in the molecule and (b) an A-->AB-->ABC annulation strategy using ring-closing metathesis and cationic cyclisation reactions as the key steps.