Target-oriented multifunctional organocatalysis for enantioselective synthesis of bicyclo[3.3.1]nona-2,6-dien-9-ones. A formal asymmetric synthesis of huperzine A

A target-oriented highly enantioselective multifunctional organocatalytic approach has been developed to construct the bicycle-[3.3.1]nona-2,6-dien-9-one core of (−)-huperzine A for the first time, with up to 95% ee in the gram-scale procedure. The newly established methodology is also eligible to synthesize a variety of bicyclo[3.3.1]nona-2,6-dien-9-ones in high enantiopurities, and thus is useful for the future development of novel huperzine A analogs with medicinal interests.