Biomimetic Total Synthesis of (±)‐Merochlorin A

Inspired: The proposed biosynthetic pathway toward the potent antibiotic meroterpenoid (±)-merochlorin A inspired its concise total synthesis. The key steps in the synthesis are a one-pot aromatization–alkylation reaction, followed by a biomimetic oxidative dearomatization of a highly functionalized naphthalene derivative, which forms two rings and four contiguous stereocenters in a single step.