Abstract
The coumarinolignoid cleomiscosin A (1), having antitumor activity, has been synthesized via the keto-ester (10), which was prepared from readily available starting materials (6 and 9). Removal of the methoxymethyl group of 10 followed by reduction with lithium borohydride gave a mixture of diols (12a, b). Treatment of 12a, b with 5% sulfuric acid in acetic acid provided cleomiscosin A monoacetate (14) and subsequent hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide afforded 1.
