Total Syntheses of Pusilatins A–C, Liverwort-Derived Macrocyclic Bisbibenzyl Dimers

The total syntheses of pusilatins A (2), B (3), and C (5), macrocyclic bisbibenzyl dimers isolated from Japanese liverwort are reported. The common monomeric unit (6) was prepared via macrocyclization of an o-sulfinylfluorobenzene derivative by S_NAr attack of an internal phenol, which was exploited for site-selective dimerizations en route to 2, 3, and 5.