Total synthesis of (−)-dysiherbaine, a novel neuroexcitotoxic amino acid

A total synthesis of (−)-dysiherbaine, a neuroexcitotoxic amino acid isolated from the Micronesian marine sponge Dysidea herbacea, starting from a carbohydrate precursor, is described. The present synthesis features a palladium(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling of the 6/5-bicyclic core with an amino acid residue.