Enantioselective Access to Bicyclo[3.2.1]octadienone Skeleton: Total Syntheses of (+)-Engelharquinone and Its Epoxide.

The first enantioselective total syntheses of engelharquinone (2) and its epoxide 3 have been achieved. The key steps include (1) catalytic asymmetric 1,4-addition of a naphthylboronic acid derivative to a masked naphthoquinone derivative by using a chiral Rh-complex and (2) thiolate-promoted stereospecific construction of the bicyclo[3.2.1]octadienone scaffold.