Synthesis of Terpenoids. III. Total Syntheses of α-Bisabololone and α-Trans-Atlantone

Abstract

Recently, anions of “protected” cyanohydrins have been introduced as useful acyl carbanions equivalents in organic synthesis². Continuing with our interest in the use of these reagents for natural product syntheses³, we wish to report a short total synthesis of the sesquiterpene α-bisabololone 1 ^4,5, whose salient feature is a novel application of “protected” cyanohydrins to the synthesis of β-hydroxy ketones.