L. C. Fang, Y. Chen, J. Huang, L. Z. Liu, J. M. Quan, C. C. Li*, Z. Yang*

J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 2479

A unified strategy toward the asymmetric facile construction of the [6.7.6.5]oxapentacyclic skeleton of cortistatins is reported, featuring intramolecular Diels−Alder (IMDA), oxidative dearomatization, and an oxy-Michael addition reaction.