Regiospecific synthesis of mono- and bicyclic 6-alkoxy-2-pyrones and their use in the preparation of substituted aromatics,anthraquinones, and tetracyclic intermediates for 11-deoxyanthracycline synthesis

Several mono- and bicyclic 6-methoxy-2-pyrones having substituents at C4 and C5 can be prepared regiospecifically by either of two routes: (1) regiospecific construction of a glutaconic half-ester followed by dehydrative cyclization, and (2)regiospecific Friedel-Crafts acylation of 6-methoxy-2-pyrones at C5. These pyrones undergo clean and regiospecific Diels-Alder cycloadditions with various unsymmetrical dienophiles, e.g., quinones, unsaturated esters, etc, with subsequent loss of carbon dioxide. In this manner several polycyclic aromatic natural products have been prepared such as chrysophanol, helminthosporin, pachybasin, 2-acetylemodin and the purported structure for orientalone. The utility of this approach for the synthesis of the anthracyclines is demonstrated by its use in the preparation of various tetracyclic intermediates for anthracycline synthesis.