Development of a Cross-Conjugated Vinylogous [4+2] Anionic Annulation and Application to the Total Synthesis of Natural Antibiotic (±)-ABX.

The cross-conjugated vinylogous [4+2] anionic annulation has been newly developed, the cascade process of which has a high preference for regiochemical control and chemoselectivity, giving rise to exclusively Michael-type adducts in moderate to high yields (up to 94 %, 35 examples). By making use of this approach as a key operation, the first total synthesis of natural antibiotic ABX, in racemic form, has been successfully achieved in a concise 7-step sequence with an overall yield of about 20 %.