Application of Carbohydrate-Templated Asymmetric Diels–Alder Reaction to the Syntheses of ent-Penicillones A and B

Total syntheses of ent-penicillones A (ent-1) and B (ent-2) from 3,5-dimethylcatechol (3) were accomplished in 10 and 9 synthetic steps, respectively. A carbohydrate-templated asymmetric intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction of a masked o-benzoquinone (MOB) 9 and an aqueous acid-catalyzed intramolecular aldol reaction are the key synthetic steps. In addition, the absolute configurations of the bicyclo[2.2.2]­oct-5-en-2-one core obtained from the per-O-benzylated α-d-glucopyranosyl as a carbohydrate template in the intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction of MOBs were revised.