Xestenone and secoxestenone, isolated from the northeastern Pacific sponge Xestospongia vanilla by Andersen et al., are norditerpenoids. Proposed structures for these compounds are based on spectroscopic analysis and chemical conversion. Secoxestenone is presumed to be a biogenetic precursor of xestenone. The authors reported one-pot synthesis of cycloalkane derivatives using allyl phenyl sulfone and epoxymesylate. This one-pot synthesis was applied to the construction of cyclopentane moiety of secoxestenone and xestenone. The total synthesis of xestenone and secoxestenone is now being carried out by coupling reaction cyclopentane moiety and side chain segment.
