Lactone lignan enolates

The stereoselective introduction of both benzyl groups simultaneously in one step seemed to be particularly attractive for a short synthesis of a- hy-droxylated lactone lignans from malic acid (99). Such a simultaneous double alkylation requires the formation of a chiral l,3-diene-l,4-diolate, which was not known. On the other hand, achiral 1,3-diene-1,4-diolates (di-enolates) have been previously prepared by Garrett et al. [58] and subsequently employed for the synthesis of racemic lignans by Snieckus [59] and Pohmakotr [60]. With knowledge of the synthesis and reactivity of di-enolates, we planned to prepare chiral di-enolates from dioxolanones and to alkylate these di-enolates in a stereocontrolled manner (Scheme 22). For the development of the described double deprotonation/alkylation strategy, tert-hutyl... 

The reaction of enolates derived from lactones (121) with aromatic aldehydes has been used effectively in the synthesis of lignan lactones, e.g. (122) and... 

---