Abstract A synthesis of a precursor 2 for the Elisabethin A skeleton is reported. Containing a masked quinone and a (E, Z)-diene subunit, it has the required elements for the envisaged intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction to form the tricyclic system of Elisabethin A. Starting from methylresorcinol, the sequence involves the preparation of an arylacetic acid, which was α- alkylated by a chiral building block. Subsequent HWE reaction and cis-selective Wittig ...
