The tricyclic BCD substructure of the marine natural product nakadomarin A has been synthesised. The strategy utilised a key carbon-carbon bond-forming reaction between a furan and an N-acyliminium ion derived from a secondary thiolactam. In addition, a novel three-component coupling reaction between a thioamide, an allylic bromide and an isocyanate, leading to the establishment of two new stereogenic centres, is reported. Two key steps in a projected total synthesis of nakadomarin A have been realised by using the unique chemistry of thioamides. Formation of the carbocyclic B ring can be effected by nucleophilic attack of a furan on a thiolactam-derived iminium ion, and the key quaternary centre can be established by a novel three-component coupling reaction.
