Formal Synthesis of (±)-Guanacastepene A:  A Tandem Ring-Closing Metathesis Approach

A concise route to a key intermediate in the total synthesis of guanacastepene A is described. The main features include the simultaneous construction of the seven- and six-membered rings, using a tandem ring-closing metathesis and a stereoselective introduction of the oxygenated function at the C5 position. [reaction: see text]