Formal Total Synthesis of (±)‐Carexane L Enabled by a PPA‐Mediated Fragmentation–Cyclization Cascade and Heck Coupling

ABSTRACT We present a succinct formal total synthesis of the rearranged aromatic sesquiterpene (±)‐carexane L, an indanone‐based natural product derived from the roots of Carex distachya Desf., a species indigenous to the Mediterranean maquis, commencing from benzoic acid. The synthesis strategically employs a combination of one‐pot polyphosphoric acid (PPA)‐mediated cyclization and Heck cross‐coupling as pivotal reactions.