Rapid access to the tricyclic spirotetronic core of abyssomicins

[reaction: see text] Abyssomicins, a novel class of polyketide antibiotics, are characterized by an unprecedented spirotetronic tricyclic subunit in their structure. In this letter, a short synthesis of a suitably functionalized tricyclic precursor of abyssomicins is reported. Key steps of the synthesis are (i) the highly stereoselective Al(III)-tethered Diels-Alder reaction and (ii) the tandem Dieckmann cyclization/TBS trapping of the C9 hydroxyl group followed by a regioselective intramolecular epoxide opening for the assembly of the target tricyclic structure.