Enantioselective Total Syntheses of (−)-Caulamidine D and (−)-Isocaulamidine D and Their Absolute Configuration Reassignment

The first enantioselective total syntheses of (-)-caulamidine D (5) and (-)-isocaulamidine D (6) were accomplished. Their absolute configurations were unambiguously elucidated through X-ray crystallography. The isolated natural samples of both 5 and 6 are determined to be the TFA salts instead of the neutral forms. It took 16 steps (longest linear sequence) to divergently access both 5 and 6 following a unified strategy. The key reactions include (1) development and application of an asymmetric Meerwein-Eschenmoser-Claisen rearrangement to construct the challenging C10, C23 consecutive stereocenters and (2) application of a cascade 6-exo-dig/6-exo-tet amine/nitrile cyclization reaction.