Concise Total Synthesis of Lundurines A-C Enabled by Gold Catalysis and a Homodienyl Retro-Ene/Ene Isomerization

The total synthesis of lundurines A–C has been accomplished in racemic and enantiopure forms in 11–13 and 12–14 steps, respectively, without protection/deprotection of functional groups, by a novel tandem double condensation/Claisen rearrangement, a gold(I)-catalyzed alkyne hydroarylation, a cyclopropanation via formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition/nitrogen extrusion, and a remarkable olefin migration through a vinylcyclopropane retro-ene/ene reaction that streamlines the endgame.