Bioinspired Total Syntheses of Gymnothelignans

Since 2012, Xu and Zhou have reported the isolation of a series of gymnotheligans, a large group of novel tetrahydrofuran-containing lignan natural products. In the past decade, considerable achievements in the total syntheses of these lignans have been achieved based on a plausible biogenetic pathway proposed by our group in 2014. In this account, we summarize these remarkable synthetic works of the past ten years.1 Introduction2 Biogenetic Pathways to Gymnothelignans3 Total Syntheses of Eupodienones4 Total Syntheses of Eupomatilones5 Total Synthesis of Dibenzocyclooctenes6 Conclusions