A brief route for total synthesis of (&)-aklavinone (la), the aglycon of the anticancer antibiotic aclacinomycin (lb), is described. Key features of the synthesis are the development of a brief, efficient route to the l (4H)-naphthalenone 11, which was used as a synthon for the A and B rings, and homologation of keto aldehyde 17 to the keto anthraquinone acetic ester 16 via the intermediacy of the ketene thioacetal 19.
