A formal total synthesis of dysidiolide

A formal total synthesis of the natural product dysidiolide is described. S tarting from a Diels-Alder reaction between an enoate and a Rawal diene, th e cyclohexenone 4 was synthesized, A subsequent stereospecific methyl cupra te addition established the desired trans configuration in the cyclohexane 3, Wacker oxidation of the pentenyl side chain to the diketone 17 followed by an intramolecular aldol condensation fed to the bicyclic enone 2, a key intermediate in a recently reported synthesis of dysidiolide.