Indenone epoxides 8, prepared from the corresponding indenones, have been s
hown to undergo clean thermal rearrangement to give isocoumarins 10 in high
yields. This synthesis of isocoumarins, when applied to oxaindacenone 7, r
esulted in the total synthesis of coriandrin (1). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science
Ltd. All rights reserved.