Synthesis of (-)-Penifulvin A

Significance

Penifulvin A was isolated from the fungus Penicillium griseofulvum and is a member of a whole family of natural products, all of which feature the same dioxafenestrane skeleton. A promising insecticidal activity against the fall ­armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda, a pest which causes enormous damage to a wide variety of crops, has been shown. This very short and elegant synthesis relies on an intramolecular photo­induced [3+2] cycloaddition of an olefin and an arene.