Concise Total Synthesis of (−)‐Vermiculine through a Rhodium‐Catalyzed C 2 ‐Symmetric Dimerization Strategy

A short and efficient synthesis of the C 2 ‐symmetric antibiotic (−)‐vermiculine by utilizing an enantioselective catalytic one‐step dimerization methodology as key‐step to construct the core structure is reported. The late‐stage modifications feature a double metathesis homologation followed by a double Wacker‐type oxidation. These key‐steps allowed the synthesis of vermiculine in only seven steps, starting from commercially available building blocks.