A formal total synthesis of (±)-9-isocyanoneopupukeanane

A formal total synthesis of the marine sesquiterpene (±)-9-isocyanoneopupukeanane starting from the readily available monoterpene carvone has been accomplished employing a combination of intermolecular Michael addition–intramolecular Michael addition reaction and an intramolecular rhodium carbenoid C–H insertion reaction as key steps, and identifying the isopropenyl group as a masked hydroxy group.