The Synthesis of Lycoxanthol and Its C-15 Epimer.

In order to elucidate the absolute configuration of C-15 in natural lycoxanthol, (15R)-11,16-dihydroxy-12-methoxymethoxy-8,11,13-abietatrien-7-one and its (15S)-epimer were transformed into (15R)-12,16-epoxy-6,11,14-trihydroxy-5,8,11,13-abietatetraen-7-one (1a) and its (15S)-epimer, respectively. The synthetic 1a was identical with natural lycoxanthol. Thus, the stereochemistry of C-15 in the natural compound was conclusively assigned as R-configuration.