Stereoselective synthesis of CD-ring precursors of vitamin D derivatives

Two expedious and useful approaches to the construction of Vitamin D trans-hydrindane building blocks are proposed. These involve the desymmetrization of the anti meso-acetylmethyldivinylcyclopentane 3 which proceeds through either the selective formation of epoxyketone 5 and intramolecular enolate cyclisation or a xanthate groupe transfer mediated radical cyclization to furnish trans-hydrindanes 7 and 16 respectively. Epoxyketone 5 is prepared by means of a three-step reaction process including reduction of the ketone moiety, bishomoallylic alcohol-directed epoxidation and Dess-Martin oxidation. Alternatively, an asymmetric reduction using borane/tetrahydrofuran complex and (R)-2-methyl-CBS-oxazaborolidin made accessible the epoxyketone in good optical purity. The xanthate 16 can undergo a Johnson sulfoximine ketone resolution that allows access to both enantiomers. Various derivatizations of 16 to more elaborated synthetic intermediates are also reported.