Towards the total synthesis of neurotrophically active tashironins: rapid construction of the tetracyclic core through a tandem oxidative dearomatization-IMDA reaction-RCM protocol

An exceptionally short (three step) strategy involving tandem oxidative dearomatization, intramolecular Diels-Alder (IMDA) reaction and RCM has been devised to generate the complete carbon framework present in tashironin-type sesquiterpenoid natural products.