Enantioselective synthesis of rumphellaone A via epoxy nitrile cyclization

The first enantioselective synthesis of rumphellaone A, a cytotoxic 4,5-seco-caryophyllane derivative incorporating a γ-lactone ring as its structural feature, has been achieved by using base-induced intramolecular cyclization of an epoxy nitrile intermediate to install its cyclobutane skeleton as well as three contiguous stereocenters as the key transformation.