Total Synthesis and Absolute Configuration of the Guaiane Sesquiterpene Englerin A

Abstract

Catnip craze: Nepetalactone, the psychoactive ingredient of catmint, was selected as starting material for the first enantioselective synthesis of englerin A. This cytotoxic guaiane sesquiterpene is a highly selective inhibitor (1–87 nM) of several renal cancer cell lines. The absolute configuration of this natural product was determined by total synthesis.