A catalytic enantioselective approach to the eudesmane sesquiterpenoids is reported. The strategic use of a palladium-catalyzed enantioselective alkylation of vinylogous ester substrates forged the C (10) all-carbon quaternary center. This key transformation enabled a diastereoselective olefin hydrogenation to create the syn stereochemistry at C (7). The devised synthetic strategy allowed for the preparation of the antibacterial agent (+)- ...
[Paquette, Leo A.; Sauer, Daryl R.; Cleary, Darryl G.; Kinsella, Mary A.; Blackwell, Christopher M.; Anderson, Lawrence G. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1992 , vol. 114, # 19 p. 7375 - 7387]