A short total synthesis of aureothin and N-acetylaureothamine.

The total synthesis of the nitrophenyl pyrones, (+/-)-aureothin and (+/-)-N-acetylaureothamine, starting from known 2-ethyl-6-methoxy-3,5-dimethyl-4H-pyran-4-one are described. The key steps involved in the synthesis are the construction of the tetrahydrofuran motif using a palladium-catalyzed cycloaddition and the ruthenium-catalyzed cross-metathesis reaction of an alkenyl boronic ester. [reaction: see text]