Developing an efficient and new means of transforming
17 into 19 represented a significant challenge. Among several
tactics that were explored, we considered that 18 might serve
as a useful intermediate. Although the Baylis-Hillman
reaction might seem well-suited to such a construction,22
neither it nor its many variants delivered 18 in acceptable
yield. On the other hand, recruitment of Ramachandran’s
vinylalumination methodolgy23 delivered 18 as an inconsequential
mixture of diastereomers (dr ) 2:1). Acetylation
of this mixture under standard conditions led to a facile
cyclization that provided the known tricycle 199 in 40%
overall yield.24 Treatment of 19 with triethylamine trihydrofluoride
(Et3N‚3HF)25 removed the silyl ether moiety to
furnish 4 in 91% yield. Spectral data of 4 were consistent
with those reported by Kibayashi in his formal synthesis of
halichlorine (2).9 Thus, the synthesis of 4 in 12 linear steps
(5.1% overall yield) starting from commercially available
methyl 1-cyclopentene-1-carboxylate constitutes a formal
synthesis of 2.