A concise preparation of 2 constituting the fully functionalized fredericamycin A ABCDE ring system is detailed and is based on the implementation of a regiospecific, intermolecular alkyne-chromium carbene complex benzannulation reaction for introduction of the AB ring system and a facile aldol closure for introduction of the spirocyclic CD ring system. Chemical and preliminary biological comparisons of 2 with fredericamycin are described.