T. Xu, C. C. Li*, Z. Yang*

Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 2630

• “Highlight syntheses” in Annu. Rep. Prog. Chem., Sect. B: Org. Chem., 2012.

A new strategy for the stereoselective total synthesis of natural product pseudolaric acid A (1) was accomplished in 16 steps from commercially available starting material, featuring a samarium diiodide (SmI2)-mediated intramolecular alkene-ketyl radical cyclization and a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction to stereoselectively cast the unusual trans-fused [5–7]-bicyclic core of pseudolaric acid A (1).