Diisobutyaluminum hydride

In addition to its other properties, interest in the potential use of the vasodilative properties of prostaglandin El, alprostadil ( ), has led to several conceptually different syntheses.For this purpose, the classic Corey process has to be modified by reversing the order of addition of the side chains to allow for convenient removal of the unwanted double bond in the upper side chain. For example, Corey lactone is protected with dihydropyran (acid catalysis), reduced to the lactol with diisobutyaluminum hydride, and then subjected to the usual Wittig reaction to give intermediate This is... 

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