Carbonyl compounds chain-elongating synthesis

A reiterative application of a two-carbon elongation reaction of a chiral carbonyl compound (Homer-Emmonds reaction), reduction (DIBAL) of the obtained trans unsaturated ester, asymmetric epoxidation (SAE or MCPBA) of the resulting allylic alcohol, and then C-2 regioselective addition of a cuprate (Me2CuLi) to the corresponding chiral epoxy alcohol has been utilized for the construction of the polypropionate-derived chain ]R-CH(Me)CH(OH)CH(Me)-R ], present as a partial structure in important natural products such as polyether, ansamycin, or macro-lide antibiotics [52]. A seminal application of this procedure is offered by Kishi s synthesis of the C19-C26 polyketide-type aliphatic segment of rifamycin S, starting from aldehyde 105 (Scheme 8.29) [53]. 

Lactones are normally stable compounds, which have found ample application as synthetic intermediates, and, quite recently, have been detected as the central structural unit in physiologically active natural products like obaflorin (123) and lipstatin (124). Characteristic applications of 3-lactones in synthesis are the stereospecific CO2 elimination to form di- and tri-substituted alkenes (e.g. from 125 equation 40) or Grignard addition to the carbonyl group e.g. equation 41). Particularly useful is the formation of 3-lactone enolates (126), which react with a variety of electrophiles (EX) wiA high stereocontrol (equation 42). Organocuprates may be used in chain elongations to form 3-branched carboxylic acids (equation 43). ... 

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