A Photochemical Approach to (+)-Isabelin

Abstract

The importance of germacranes as both biogenetic and synthetic intermediates for the synthesis of sesquiterpene natural products has been shown by the recent interest in the synthesis of these medium ring carbocycles.¹ Our group has recently developed an imaginative, short and stereospecific synthesis of 1,5-cyclodecadienes via a photocycloaddition-thermolysis pathway.² We would now like to present our initial results towards the synthesis of the germacranolide dilactone, isabelin 1.^3,4