Dramatic influence of the substitution of alkylidene-5H-furan-2-ones in Diels-Alder cycloadditions with o-quinonedimethide as diene partner: en route to the CDEF polycyclic ring system of lactonamycin

An efficient and rapid synthesis of the CDEF ring system of lactonamycinone is reported via a highly chemo- and diastereoselective intermolecular Diels-Alder cycloaddition between trans-1,2-disilyloxybenzocyclobutene and the appropriate γ-alkylidenebutenolide. The feasibility and the total chemoselectivity of the [4 + 2] cycloaddition for the construction of a spirolactone moiety via an intramolecular approach (IMDA) using both partners is also described demonstrating the versatility of the γ-alkylidenebutenolide building block.