Evolution of the synthetic strategy that culminated in the first total syntheses of the structurally unique plectosphaeroic acids B (2) and C (3) is described. The successful enantioselective route to (+)-2 and (+)-3 proceeds in 6 and 11 steps from the known hexahydro-2 H-pyrazinopyrrolo [2, 3-b] indole-1, 4-dione 39, which in turn is available in enantiomerically pure form by chemical synthesis. The central challenge in this synthesis ...
