A concise stereoselective synthesis of pterosin B

Pterosin B is a naturally occurring indanone found in bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) that displays a variety of interesting pharmacological properties, but for which few stereoselective syntheses exist. Herein we describe a 7-step stereoselective synthesis of (2R)-pterosin B via 6-bromo-5,7-dimethylindan-1-one whose structure was confirmed by NOE analysis and structure determination by X-ray crystallography. The hydroxyethyl chain was introduced via a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. The 2-methyl group was introduced stereoselectively by methylation of a SAMP [(S)-1-amino-2-methoxymethyl)pyrrolidine] hydrazone and the chiral auxiliary was removed to produce (2R)-pterosin B. The structure of pterosin B was confirmed by specific rotation and structural determination by X-ray crystallography.