Solamin asymmetric synthesis

One of the earliest and most important discoveries in metal-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis is Sharpless s Ti-catalyzed epoxidation of allylic alcohols. A mere mention of all the total syntheses that have used this technology would require a separate review article Here, we select Trost s masterful total synthesis of solamin (100, Scheme 14), for its beautiful and multiple use of Sharpless s asymmetric epoxidation.1161 Optically pure epoxy alcohol 95 is converted to both epoxy iodide 96 and diol 97 The latter two intermediates are then united to give 98, which is oxidized and converted to dihydrofuran 99 by a Ramberg-Backlund transformation. The Re catalyzed butenolide annulation that is used to afford the requisite unsaturated lactone only adds to the efficiency of this beautiful total synthesis. 

Scheme 14. Trost s use of directed asymmetric epoxi-dation in the enantioselect-ive total synthesis of solamin (1994).

An asymmetric permanganate-promoted oxidative cyclization of 1,5-dienes using a chiral phase-transfer catalyst was recorded <2001AGE4496>, and a diastereoselective permanganate-mediated oxidative cyclization with an Oppolzer sultam has been employed in the total synthesis of m-solamin <20020L3715>. In a metal-oxo-mediated approach to the synthesis of 21,22-di- /)7-membrarollin based on the use of a camphor-derived Oppolzer sultam as... 

Scheme 50 Asymmetric furan cyclization and the formal total synthesis of (+)-cw-solamin by...

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