Synthetic studies directed towards the potent cytotoxic natural product ottelione A: stereoselective construction of the complete framework

A stereoselective strategy for the rapid acquisition of the complete framew ork (dideoxyottelione A) of the promising cytotoxic agent ottelione A, with four contiguous stereogenic centres on a hydrindane skeleton and a sensiti ve 4-methylenecyclohex-2-enone functionality, from the readily available Di els-Alder adduct of 1,2,3,4-tetrachloro-5,5-dimethoxycyclopentadiene and no rbornadiene, is delineated.