Synthesis of the western half of breviones C, D, F and G

The enantioselective synthesis of the diterpenic moiety in the abeo-breviano skeleton is reported. The synthesis is carried out starting from 2-methyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione and EVK in eleven steps following a ring-expansion strategy once the tricyclic perhydrophenantrene skeleton has been obtained. A new Tiffeneau–Demjanov rearrangement under dark conditions is reported in which the insertion of the new methylene group is directed towards the most hindered side of the carbonyl group. This result is new and opposite to those reported in the literature under light (filtered or un-filtered wavelengths) conditions where insertion in the less hindered side is usually preferred.