A convergent total synthesis of (-)-mucocin: An acetogenin from Annonaceae

A total synthesis of the Annonnceous acetogenin mucocin has been accomplish ed. The synthesis follows a convergent strategy, wherein at a very late sta ge the left part of the molecule is connected with the right part. The key reaction is the stereocontrolled addition of an organomagnesium compound 2 to the aldehyde 3. at THP ring of mucocin is build by a 6-endo epoxide cycl ization of an epoxyacetonide precursor (16 --> 17). The new modular synthet ic approach developed herein should be useful for the synthesis of other re lated natural products as well as pharmacologically interesting analogues.