The first total synthesis of breitfussin A and B is described. The approach features two palladium-catalyzed cross-couplings installing the indole and pyrrole onto the oxazole core and selective lithiation/iodination of a common indole–oxazole fragment providing 2,4-diiodinated or 2-iodinated oxazoles as potential precursors for breitfussin A and B, respectively. An unexpected acid promoted deiodination ...

Phorbazoles are polychlorinated heterocyclic secondary metabolites isolated from a marine sponge and several of these natural products have shown inhibitory activity against cancer cells. In this work, a synthesis of the trichlorinated phorbazole B using late stage electrophilic chlorination was developed. The synthesis relied on the use of an oxazole precursor, which was protected with an iodine ...