Chemistry Letters, Vol.32, No.12, 1190-1191, 2003
Combined multiple Claisen rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis as a route to naphthalene, anthracene, and anthracycline ring systems
A new route involving double Claisen rearrangement of a suitable 1,4-diallyloxyarene system followed by ring-closing metathesis of the resulting diene has been developed for the synthesis of various benzannulated cyclohexenes. An important demonstration of this methodology is the construction of the tetracyclic quinophenolic ring system of the clinically important anthracyclines.