Short total syntheses of the avenaciolide family of natural products
Résumé
The avenaciolide family of natural products are small α-methylene bis-γ-lactones that exhibit a wide variety of biological activities. Herein we report concise syntheses of five members of this family of natural products along with the synthesis of one non-natural analogue. The syntheses proceed in five or six steps from simple, commercially available compounds and feature a key oxidative cyclization/lactonization reaction that likely occurs via a radical mechanism.