New cobalt-catalyzed cycloisomerization of epsilon-acetylenic beta-keto esters. Application to a powerful cyclization reactions cascade

The full details of investigations into the cobalt(I)-catalyzed ene type reaction of epsilon-acetylenic beta-keto esters to form highly functionalized methylenecyclopentanes are described. The observed regio-, chemo-, and stereoselectivities support a process of cycloisomerization which controls the relative stereochemistry of two contiguous stereogenic centers. An efficient route to the basic skeleton of the phyllocladane family has been achieved via a one-pot sequence of cyclizations: ene type, [2 + 2 + 2], [4 + 2]. This new cascade created six carbon-carbon bonds and four rings in a totally stereoselective manner from an easily accessible acyclic polyunsaturated precursor.