An efficient and versatile amine-induced Michael/Conia-ene cascade cyclization reaction has been developed for establishing 6,6- and 5,7-bicyclic fused carbocycles with simple acyclic beta-ketoesters as the substrates in one-pot condition and this new cyclization method has been successfully utilized in a formal synthesis of (+/-)-Clavukerin A.

A new class of base-catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions of 2H-pyran-2,5-diones has been developed using catalytic amount of dicyclohexylmethylamine in tert-butyl alcohol. This method has been successfully employed for construction of the tricyclic core of basiliolide B at room temperature with good yields and exclusive endo selectivity.