A two-step mimic for direct, asymmetric bromonium- and chloronium-induced polyene cyclizations

Although direct, asymmetric, halonium-induced cyclizations have proven difficult to achieve in the absence of enzymes, this report provides a two-step alternative based on reacting polyenes with chiral mercury(II) complexes to afford a number of polycyclic organomercurials that can be subsequently converted, with retention, into their corresponding chlorine, bromine, and iodine derivatives in good yield and enantioselectivity. A five-step asymmetric total synthesis of the natural product 4-isocymobarbatol is also described.