First Total Synthesis of the Potent Anticancer Natural Product Dideoxypetrosynol A: Preparation of the "Skipped" (Z)-Enediyne Moiety by Oxidative Coupling of Homopropargyl Phosphonium Ylide

Dideoxypetrosynol A is a C30 polyacetylenic alcohol with C₂ symmetry. The first total synthesis of both enantiomers of the potent anti-cancer natural product (+)- and (-)-dideoxypetrosynol A is reported. The key step is an oxidative coupling of a homopropargyl phosphonium ylide to prepare the "skipped" (Z)-enediyne moiety. The natural dideoxypetrosynol A was isolated as a racemic mixture as shown in structure 1. The absolute configurations of the chiral centers are established for the (+)- and (-)-enantiomers using Burgess' enzymatic resolution procedure with Pseudomonas AK lipase.