Acid-catalyzed condensation of 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid
3 with ketal aldehyde
14 in methanol at 25
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C, followed by CH
2N
2 esterification,gave a 4:1:4:1 mixture of diastereomers
15b-
18b in 60% yield. Equilibration of this mixture with TFA in CDCl
3 provided tetracycle
15b (83%yield) with the complete skeleton of berkelic acid. A similar condensation at 0
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C afforded
15b-
18b and a reduction product
19b, which wasprobably formed by a 1,5-hydride shift.