Efficient assembly of the phomactin core via two different macrocyclization protocols.

[reaction--see text] The core structure of phomactins C and D was assembled by an efficient strategy starting from 3,4-dimethylcyclohexen-2-one. Key reactions include (1) a high yielding and highly diastereoselective Michael addition of a mixed cuprate, (2) a carbonylative alkyne-enoltriflate coupling or an intramolecular addition of an acetylide onto an aldehyde to form the macrocycle, (3) chemoselective Michael addition of a cuprate to an enynone, to give the carbon framework of desformyl phomactin C or D, and finally (4) regioselective addition of a thia-nucleophile to the more reactive beta-position of the resulting dienone.