An enantioselective total synthesis of pinnaic acid

An enantioselective and convergent total synthesis of marine natural product pinnaic acid has been achieved. Our general synthetic approach is featured with an asymmetric hydrogenation of racemic γ-keto ester 3, a diastereoselective methylation on the α-methylene of the (1R,5R)-lactone 4, and a diastereoselective Michael addition of the tertiary nitro cyclopentane. The central azaspiro4.5]decane was constructed utilizing reductive cyclization of the δ-nitroketone followed by highly stereoselective reduction of the cyclic imine with NaBH₄. Ultimately, successive use of triethyl-2-phosphonopropionate and Heathcock's phosphorane 18 to elaborate C5 and C13 side chains completed the total synthesis of pinnaic acid.