The diastereoselective synthesis of the simplest member of the scopadu
lan diterpenes, (-)-thyrsiflorin A methyl ester 10 from chiral (+)-pod
ocarp-8(14)-en-13-one 1, of known absolute configuration, is described
. A key step in our synthesis is the intramolecular cyclopropanation o
f the diazoketone 5 and subsequent regioselective cleavage of the cycl
opropane ring.