Intermediate 11 was also diverted to (±)-salviasperanol (9). In this context, alkyl iodide 12 was generated in situ as before and then treated with Ag(TFA) to induce a biomimetic skeletal rearrangement. Under dilute conditions (0.05 M), this reaction provided enone 14 in 63% yield alongside an 8:1 mixture of isomers 15a and 15b. Mixtures of 15 were recycled to 14 in two steps. In this case, Mukaiyama hydration of 15 gave alcohol 16 as a single diastereomer in 83% yield. Subsequent dehydration of 16 using Burgess reagent (17) afforded 14 in 70% yield. Alternatively, a formal synthesis of (±)-9 was completed by reducing 14 with LiAlH 4 . Dehydration of the resultant allylic alcohol with 17 furnished diene 18 in 59% yield over two steps. Notably, Sarpong and co-workers previously elaborated 18 to 9. 33a Therefore, 9 was formally prepared in 9 total steps (21% overall yield) and, for the first time, along the same synthetic pathway as abietane 8. a-ring variants Scheme 4. Diverted total synthesis of (±)-taxodione (8) and formal synthesis of (±)-salviasperanol (9) from ketone 11.