Recent Approaches for the Synthesis of Lucidumone

Lucidumone is a meroterpenoid isolated from the fungi Ganoderma lucidum , a mushroom commonly employed in traditional Chinese medicine. This natural product features a unique 6/5/6/6/5 polycyclic caged structure. Initial studies have shown interesting COX‐2 inhibitory properties, which are promising for the development of novel nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, but in‐depth studies are hindered by its low isolation yields. To circumvent this limitation, many research groups have embarked on the quest of total synthesis of lucidumone in recent years. This review showcases the journey and the various distinct key strategies employed for the racemic and enantioselective construction of this natural product, as well as uncompleted synthetic efforts. with a particular focus on key steps in the different strategies and a comparison of the different advantages/drawbacks of each approach.