The first total synthesis of the novel triquinane natural products pleurotellol and pleurotellic acid

The first total synthesis of the triquinane based sesquiterpenoid antibiotics (±)-pleurotellol and (±)-pleurotellic acid isolated from the fermentation broth of Pleurotellus hypnophilus have been accomplished. The triquinane based bis-enone system obtained via photo-thermal metathesis in a caged pentacyclic dione has been elaborated to the natural products through carefully crafted functional group transformations.