Total Synthesis of (−)-Nodulisporic Acid D

A convergent total synthesis of the architecturally complex indole diterpenoid (−)-nodulisporic acid D has been achieved. Key synthetic transformations include vicinal difunctionalization of an advanced α,β-unsaturated aldehyde to form the E,F-trans-fused 5,6-ring system of the eastern hemisphere and a cascade cross-coupling/indolization protocol leading to the CDE multisubstituted indole core.