Total Synthesis of Bromophycoic Acid E

Abstract An asymmetric total synthesis of bromophycoic acid E, which belongs to the class of halogenated meroterpenoid natural products, is presented herein. The key steps in the synthesis are an acid-mediated intramolecular phenol cyclization for the construction of the tetracyclic core and a radical deoxy bromination. This synthesis revealed the absolute configuration of the natural product, confirmed its antimicrobial activity, and laid the groundwork for future structure–activity relationship studies.