New route to (3RS) (5R) (5-2H)- and (3RS) (5S) (5-2H)-mevalonolactones

The synthesis of mevalonolactone stereospecifically labeled at carbon 5 is described combining chemical reactions with an enzymatic reduction step.     

Synthesis of Ethyl (2RS,3SR)-1-Tosyl-3-Vinylazetidine-2-carboxylate and ethyl (2RS,E)-3-ethylidene-1-tosylazetidine-2-carboxylate (=rac-ethyl N-tosylpolyximate)

The synthesis of 3-ethylideneazetidine-2-carboxylic acid (=polyoximic acid; 3 ) is a approached in two different ways leading to potential precursors of 3 . The first way involved a ring closure to a vinyl-subsatituted azetidin. Thus, Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of the Boc-glycinates 6 and 10 of (Z)- and (E)-2-butene-1,4-diol afforded, after exchange of the N-protecting groups, the isomeric 2-(tosylamino)-3-vinylbutanolides 13 and 14 with high stereoselectivity. Only the cis-isomer 14 could be further transformed to 3-(bromomethyl)-2-(tosylamino)-4-pentenoate 17 , and in a smoth cyclization with K₂CO₃, to trans-3-vinylazetidtene-2-carboxylaze 18 (Scheme 2). In the second approach, the 3-ethylidene isomer 19 of 18 was obtained more directly by a [2+2] cycloaddition, together with the two isomers 23 and 24 , from methlallene 20 and (tosyliminno)acetate 21 (Scheme 3). The main product of this reaction was, however, 2-(tosylamino)-4-hexinoate 22 , the product of an ene reaction.