Towards EPC-syntheses of the structural class of cochleamycins and macquarimicins. Part 1: EPC-synthesis of the hydrindene subunit of the cochleamycins

A racemic as well as an EPC-synthesis of the cis-hydrindene subunit of the cochleamycins, physiologically active microbial secondary metabolites, are reported. The five stereogenic centres of this subunit are introduced in high stereoselectivity in a short sequence by intermolecular Diels–Alder reaction, stereoselective methylation and hydride reduction. Cyclisation via nucleophilic addition, acidic fragmentation, regioselective Shapiro reaction and inversion of a secondary alcohol are the further key steps of these syntheses.