Syntheses of (+)-(S,S)-(cis-6-Methyltetrahydropyran-2-yl)acetic acid and of (−)-(R,R)-Didesoxy-pyrenophorine Using a New d5-Reagent. Preliminary communication

The Li/K-derivative 6 is used to synthesize the title compounds ( 3a and 4a ) in enantiomerically pure form from (?)-(S)-propylene epoxide. The C,C bond forming key step leading to the hydroxyketone 7 is followed by cyclization (→, 8 ), Beckmann cleavage (→ 9b ) and hydrolysis to 3a (recently isolated from civet). Base treatment of 3a opens the ring ( 10 ) to give the hydroxyacid 1 which is cyclized to the macrolide 4a . The synthetic usefulness of the highly nucleophilic doubly reduced dienone system 6 as d⁵-reagent (see synthons 2) is thus demonstirated.