A synthesis of the spirastrellolide A, B/C-ring monounsaturated spiroketal is reported. The key step relies on a Au-catalyzed spiroketalization of a propargyl triol employing an acetonide as a regioselectivity regulator. Through observation and analysis, a set of conditions has been developed that facilitates the use of a mixture of diastereomeric substrates, obviating the need to control the stereochemistry of the propargyl stereocenter and enabling a convenient retrosynthetic disconnection. The key reaction proceeds in 80% yield in 1 min at ambient temperature with the Me3PAuCl/AgOTf catalyst system. These conditions should be widely applicable for new synthetic endeavors as they appear to overcome all issues with the Au-catalyzed spiroketalization.

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The synthesis and biological evaluation of truncated spirastrellolide A analogues comprised of the southern hemisphere against protein phosphatase 2A are described. A convergent synthesis was designed featuring two gold-catalyzed cyclization reactions, specifically, a dehydrative cyclization of monoallylic diols for the synthesis of the tetrahydropyran (A-ring) and a regioselective spiroketalization for the efficient generation of the [6,6]-spiroketal (B, C-ring system). The synthesis of the southern hemisphere of spirastrellolide A was achieved involving the longest linear sequence of 19 steps. A total of eight spirastrellolide A analogues were synthesized, and preliminary PP2A enzyme assay inhibition studies were performed for the first time on analogues of the southern hemisphere. Several analogues showed inhibition, which is a positive indication and perhaps suggests that the unsaturated spiroketal fragment might be crucial to induce PP2A inhibition.

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