Toward the total synthesis of pseudolaric acid B. Preparation of a key intermediate by degradation and its use in the reassembly of the natural product

Synthetic studies of pseudolaric acid B, 2, provided a relay synthesis of pseudolaric acid B (PLAB) via aldehyde 5. The aldehyde 5 can serve: to complete the total synthesis of PLAB; as a precursor for the synthesis of PLAB analogs; or as a substrate for the generation of radiolabeled PLAB for mechanistic studies.