Total syntheses of (−)-variabilin and (−)-glycinol have been accomplished, using the catalytic, asymmetric “interrupted” Feist–Bénary reaction (IFB) as the key transformation to introduce both stereogenic centers. A monoquinidine pyrimidinyl ether catalyst affords the IFB products in over 90% ee in both cases. Other key steps include an intramolecular Buchwald–Hartwig coupling and a nickel-catalyzed aryl tosylate reduction.
