Reactivity of cyclohexene epoxides toward intramolecular acid-catalyzed cyclizations for the synthesis of naturally occurring cage architectures

This account compiles our results on the reactivity of cyclohexene epoxides toward the synthesis of naturally occurring cage architectures, in particular, the one found in harringtonolide. Bicyclic and branched monocyclic functional triads (hydroxy-epoxy-esters) were synthesized with the aim of undertaking cascade processes toward the formation of lactone and/or cycloether bridges, through a central epoxide opening. This work successfully culminated in the cascade cyclization of the fully oxygenated bridge-structure of harringtonolide, by using a dual Brønsted-Lewis acid complex.