Despite their appearance in a number of bioactive natural products, the synthesis of 5-membered carbocycles has received much less attention than synthesis of their 6-membered counterparts. Here, a Michael-aldol-β-lactonization cascade is used to forge two C-C bonds, one C-O bond, two rings and up to three contiguous stereocentres and deliver complex cyclopentanes with high levels of relative and absolute stereocontrol.
- Gang Liu
- Morgan E. Shirley
- Daniel Romo
