Toward the total synthesis of elisapterosin B: a Hg(OTf)2-promoted diastereoselective intramolecular Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction

As part of an approach to the synthesis of the antitubercular agent elisapterosin B, we prepared two different chiral, non-racemic olefinic substrates and examined their diastereoselective ring closure using mercury salts. The effort yielded potential precursors to elisapterosin B in good yield with good to excellent diastereocontrol.