Highly enantioselective total synthesis of natural epoxydictymene. An alkoxy-directed cyclization route to highly strained trans-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octanes

Abstract An enantioselective synthesis of (+)-epoxydictymene, which involves efficient construction of the strained oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane subunit by irradiation with iodosobenzene diacetate and iodine in cyclohexane solution, is reported.