Synthesis of Hexacyclic Parnafungin A and C Models

A convergent, practical route to unstable hexacyclic parnafungin A and C models has been developed. Two iodoxanthones were prepared in four or five steps (33−50% overall yield). Suzuki−Miyaura coupling of the iodoxanthones with excess readily available 3-carbomethoxy-2-nitrophenyl pinacol boronate afforded the hindered highly functionalized 2-arylxanthones (53−58%) in the first key step. In the second key step, zinc reduction gave benzisoxazolinones that were treated with MsCl and then base to generate the unstable hexacyclic parnafungin A (13% overall yield for 8 steps) and C (8% overall yield for 9 steps) models. Analogously to the parnafungins, hexacyclic parnafungin C model decomposes to a phenanthridine with a half-life of 2 d in CDCl3.