Diborylated Magnesium Anthracene as Precursor for B2H5−‐Bridged 9,10‐Dihydroanthracene

9,10‐(Bpin)₂‐anthracene ( 3 , HBpin=pinacolborane) was synthesized from 9,10‐dibromoanthracene in a stepwise lithiation/borylation sequence. The reaction of 3 with highly activated magnesium furnished the diborylated magnesium anthracene 4 , which was quenched in situ with ethereal HCl to yield cis‐9,10‐(Bpin)₂‐DHA (cis‐ 5 , DHA=9,10‐dihydroanthracene). Compound cis‐ 5 , in turn, can be reduced with Li[AlH₄] in THF to give its diborate Li₂[cis‐9,10‐(BH₃)₂‐DHA] (Li₂[cis‐ 6 ]). In the crystal lattice, the THF solvate Li₂[cis‐ 6 ] ? 3 THF establishes a dimeric structure with Li‐(μ‐H)‐B coordination modes. Hydride abstraction from Li₂[cis‐ 6 ] with Me₃SiCl yields the B?H?B‐bridged DHA Li[ 7 ]. This product can also be viewed as a unique cyclic B₂H₇^? derivative with a hydrocarbon backbone. Treatment of Li₂[cis‐ 6 ] with the stronger hydride abstracting agent Me₃SiOTf (HOTf=trifluoromethanesulfonic acid) in THF affords the THF diadduct of cis‐9,10‐(BH(OTf))₂‐DHA.     

Structure elucidation of [1,3]oxazolo[4,5‐e][2,1]benzisoxazole and naphtho[1,2‐d][1,3]‐ and phenanthro[9,10‐d]oxazoles using gradient selected gHMBC,gHMQC and gHMQC‐TOCSY NMR techniques

Structure elucidation of compounds in the benzisoxazole series ( 1 – 6 ) and naphtho[1,2‐d][1,3]‐ ( 7 – 10 ) and phenanthro[9,10‐d][1,3]oxazole ( 11 – 14 ) series was accomplished using extensive 2D NMR spectroscopic studies including ¹H–¹H COSY, long‐ range ¹H–¹H COSY, ¹H–¹³C COSY, gHMQC, gHMBC and gHMQC‐TOCSY experiments. The distinction between oxazole and isoxazole rings was made on the basis of the magnitude of heteronuclear one‐bond ¹J_{C2, H2} (or ¹J_{C3, H3}) coupling constants. Complete analysis of the ¹H NMR spectra of 11 – 14 was achieved by iterative calculations. Gradient selected gHMQC‐TOCSY spectra of phenanthro[9,10‐d][1,3]oxazoles 11 – 14 were obtained at different mixing times (12, 24, 36, 48 and 80 ms) to identify the spin system where the protons of phenanthrene ring at H‐5, H‐6 and at H‐9 and H‐7 and H‐8 were highly overlapping. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First Synthesis of Ferrocenyl‐Substituted 1,2‐Dihydro‐2‐oxopyridine‐3‐carbonitriles

In the present investigation, the first incorporation of both ferrocene scaffold and 1,2‐dihydro‐2‐oxopyridine‐3‐carbonitrile pharmacophore leading to a series of structurally novel ferrocene‐based hybrids has been achieved, involving the condensation reaction of ferrocenyl substituted chalcones with 2‐cyanoacetamide in a freshly prepared EtONa solution at 70°. The molecular structures of these newly synthesized products were confirmed by IR, and ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR analyses.     

Synthesen und Charakteristika von Heterobimetallorganika des Siliciums mit dem 2‐(Dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl‐Liganden FcN (η5‐C5H5)Fe[η5‐C5H3(CH2NMe2)]—

Syntheses and characteristics of the heterobimetalorganics of the silicon with the 2‐(dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl ligand FcN (η⁵‐C₅H₅)Fe[η⁵‐C₅H₃(CH₂NMe₂)]^— The heterobimetallic lithiumorganyl [2‐(dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl] lithium, LiFcN, reacts with silicon(IV)‐chlorid, SiCl₄, under the formation of heterobimetallic silicon(IV) organyl [(FcN)₃SiCl] ( 1 ). The heterobimetallic organosilanol [(FcN)₃SiOH] ( 2 ) is formed at hydrolysis of 1 . A detailed characterization of the defined compounds 1 and 2 was carried out by NMR‐ rsp. mass‐spectrometry and by crystal X‐ray analysis of 2 .     

Synthesis,one‐ and two‐photon properties of poly[9,10‐bis(3,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl‐oxy)phenyl)‐2,6‐anthracenevinylene‐alt‐N‐octyl‐3,6‐/2,7‐carbazolevinylene]

The synthesis, one‐ and two‐photon absorption (TPA) and emission properties of two novel 2,6‐anthracenevinylene‐based copolymers, poly[9,10‐bis(3,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyloxy)phenyl)‐2,6‐anthracenevinylene‐alt‐N‐octyl‐3,6‐carbazolevinyl‐ene] ( P1 ) and poly[9,10‐bis(3,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyloxy)phenyl)‐2,6‐anthracenevinyl‐ene‐alt‐N‐octyl‐2,7‐carbazolevinylene] ( P2 ) were reported. The as‐synthesized polymers have the number‐average molecular weights of 1.56 × 10⁴ for P1 and 1.85 × 10⁴ g mol^?1 for P2 and are readily soluble in common organic solvents. They emit strong bluish‐green one‐ and two‐photon excitation fluorescence in dilute toluene solution (? _P1 = 0.85, ? _P2 = 0.78, λ_em( P1 ) = 491 nm, λ_em( P2 ) = 483 nm). The maximal TPA cross‐sections of P1 and P2 measured by the two‐photon‐induced fluorescence method using femtosecond laser pulses in toluene are 840 and 490 GM per repeating unit, respectively, which are obviously larger than that (210 GM) of poly[9,10‐bis‐(3,4‐bis(2‐ethylhexyloxy) phenyl)‐2,6‐anthracenevinylene], indicating that the poly(2,6‐anthracenevinylene) derivatives with large TPA cross‐sections can be obtained by inserting electron‐donating moieties into the polymer backbone. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 463–470, 2010     

Darstellung,Eigenschaften und Molekülstrukturen von Heterobimetallorganika des vierwertigen Germaniums mit dem 2‐(Dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl‐Liganden FcN (η5‐C5H5)Fe[η5‐C5H3(CH2NMe2)‐2]

Hydrolysereak‐Syntheses, Properties and Molecular Structures of the Heterobimetalorganics of the four‐valued Germanium with the 2‐(Dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl Ligand FcN (η⁵‐C₅H₅)Fe[η⁵‐C₅H₃(CH₂NMe₂)‐2] The heterobimetallic lithiumorganyl [2‐(dimethylaminomethyl)ferrocenyl] lithium, FcNLi, reacts with germanium(IV) chloride, GeCl₄, under the formation of heterobimetallic germanium(IV) organyls (FcN)_nGeCl_4‐n (n = 2 ( 1 ), 3 ( 2 )). The heterobimetallic organogermanol (FcN)₃GeOH ( 3 ) is formed at hydrolysis of 2 . A detailed characterization of the defined compounds 1 — 3 was carried out by single crystal X‐ray analyses, NMR‐ and mass‐spectrometry.     

Experimental and quantum chemical calculational studies on N‐[4‐(3‐Methyl‐3‐phenyl‐cyclobutyl)‐thiazol‐2‐yl]‐N′‐pyridin‐3ylmethylene‐hydrazine

The title molecule, N‐[4‐(3‐Methyl‐3‐phenyl‐cyclobutyl)‐thiazol‐2‐yl]‐N′‐pyridin‐3ylmethylene‐ hydrazine (C₂₀ H₂₀ N₄ S₁), was characterized by ¹H‐NMR, ¹³C‐NMR, IR, UV‐visible, and X‐ray determination. In addition to the molecular geometry from X‐ray experiment, the molecular geometry, vibrational frequencies and gauge including atomic orbital ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR chemical shift values of the title compound in the ground state have been calculated using the Hartree‐Fock and density functional method (B3LYP) with 6‐31G(d, p) basis set. The calculated results show that optimized geometries can well reproduce the crystal structural parameters. By using time‐dependent density functional theory method, electronic absorption spectrum of the title compound has been predicted. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Double‐Gyroid Nanostructure Formation by Aggregation‐Induced Atropisomerization and Co‐Assembly of Ionic Liquid‐Crystalline Amphiphiles

We report a new molecular‐design principle for creating double‐gyroid nanostructured molecular assemblies based on atropisomerization. Ionic amphiphiles containing two imidazolium rings close to each other were designed and synthesized. NMR data revealed that the rotation of the imidazolium rings is restricted, with an activation energy as high as 63 kJ mol^?1 in DMSO‐d₆ solution (DFT prediction for a model compound in the vacuum: 90–100 kJ mol^?1). Due to the restricted rotation, the amphiphiles feature “double” atropisomeric axes in their ionic segments and form three stable atropisomers: meso, R, and S. These isomers co‐organize into ‐type bicontinuous cubic liquid‐crystalline mesophases through nanosegregation of the ionic and non‐ionic parts. Considering the intrinsic characteristic of ‐type bicontinuous cubic structures that they are composed of intertwined right‐ and left‐handed single gyroids, we propose that the simultaneous presence of both R‐ and S‐atropisomers is an important contributor to the formation of double‐gyroid structures.     

Heterobimetallische Komplexe von Lithium,Aluminium und Gold mit dem N‐[2‐N′,N′‐(Dimethylaminoethyl)‐N‐methyl‐aminoethyl]‐ferrocenyl‐Liganden (η5‐C5H5)Fe{η5‐C5H3[CH(CH3)N(CH3)CH2CH2NMe2]‐2}

Heterobimetallic Complexes of Lithium, Aluminum, and Gold with the N ‐[2‐ N ′, N ′‐(dimethylaminoethyl)‐ N ‐methyl‐aminoethyl]‐ferrocenyl Ligand (η⁵‐C₅H₅)Fe{η⁵‐C₅H₃[CH(CH₃)N(CH₃)CH₂CH₂NMe₂]‐2} N‐[2‐N′,N′‐(dimethylaminoethyl)‐N‐methyl‐aminoethyl]ferrocene FcN,NH ( 1 ) reacts with ⁿBuLi under formation of the lithium organyl (FcN,N)Li ( 2 ). At reactions of 2 with AlBr₃ and AuCl · PPh₃ the heterobimetallic organo derivatives (FcN,N)AlBr₂ ( 3 ), (FcN,N)Au · PPh₃ ( 4 ) are formed. A detailed characterization of 2 – 4 was carried out by single crystal x‐ray analyses as well as by NMR and Mößbauer spectroscopy.     

Linear Free‐Energy Relationships Applied to the 13C NMR Chemical Shifts in 4‐Substituted N‐[1‐(Pyridine‐3‐ and ‐4‐yl)ethylidene]anilines

Two series of 4‐substituted N‐[1‐(pyridine‐3‐ and ‐4‐yl)ethylidene]anilines have been synthesized using different methods of conventional and microwave‐assisted synthesis, and linear free‐energy relationships have been applied to the ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the carbon atoms of interest. The substituent‐induced chemical shifts have been analyzed using single substituent parameter and dual substituent parameter methods. The presented correlations describe satisfactorily the field and resonance substituent effects having similar contributions for C1 and the azomethine carbon, with exception of the carbon atom in para position to the substituent X. In both series, negative ρ values have been found for C1′ atom (reverse substituent effect). Quantum chemical calculations of the optimized geometries at MP2/6‐31G++(d,p) level, together with ¹³C NMR chemical shifts, give a better insight into the influence of the molecular conformation on the transmission of electronic substituent effects. The comparison of correlation results for different series of imines with phenyl, 4‐nitrophenyl, 2‐pyridyl, 3‐pyridyl, 4‐pyridyl group attached at the azomethine carbon with the results for 4‐substituted N‐[1‐(pyridine‐3‐ and ‐4‐yl)ethylidene]anilines for the same substituent set (X) indicates that a combination of the influences of electronic effects of the substituent X and the π₁‐unit can be described as a sensitive balance of different resonance structures.     

Recyclizations of 2‐aminobenzylimines and thioaroylhydrazones of N‐substituted N‐hydroxy‐3‐oxobutanamides

A universal scheme is proposed for the molecular design of heterocyclic recyclizations by replacing the exocyclic hydroxyl groups in exo‐trig‐ ring‐chain tautomeric molecules with substituted amines or hydrazines. The practical applicability of this approach is demonstrated by the condensations of 5‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐3‐isoxazolidinones with thioaroyl‐hydrazines and 2‐aminomethylaniline. The condensation products were studied by modern ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopic methods using three solvents: CDC1₃, DMSO[D₆] and CD₃CN. The solvent was found to have a strong effect to the relative amounts of the tautomers.     

Stepwise Encapsulation of Sulfate Ions by Ferrocenyl‐Functionalized Tripodal Hexaurea Receptors

Three ferrocenyl‐functionalized tripodal hexaurea anion receptors with ortho‐ ( L² ), meta‐ ( L³ ), and para‐phenylene ( L⁴ ) bridges, which showed strong binding affinities toward sulfate ions, have been designed and synthesized. In particular, meta‐phenylene‐bridged ligand L³ , owing to its trigonal bipyramidal structure, can encapsulate two SO₄^2? ions in its “inner” and “outer” tripodal clefts, respectively, as supported by their clearly distinct NMR resonances and by molecular modeling. The sulfate complex of ortho‐ligand L² , (TBA)₂[SO₄? L² ] ? 2 H₂O ( 1 ), displays a caged tetrahedral structure with an encapsulated sulfate ion that is hydrogen bonded by the six urea groups of ligand L² . CV studies showed two types of electrochemical response of the ferrocene/ferrocenium redox couple upon anion binding, that is, a shift of the wave and the appearance of a new peak. Quantitative binding data were obtained from the NMR and CV titrations.     

Shielding of Electron Acceptors Coordinated to Rhenium(I) by Carboxylato Groups. Intraligand and Charge‐Transfer Excited‐State Properties of fac‐(‘Anthraquinone‐2‐carboxylato')(2,2′‐bipyridine)tricarbonylrhenium (fac‐[ReI(aq‐2‐CO2)(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)3])

The photophysical and photochemical properties of (OC‐6‐33)‐(2,2′‐bipyridine‐κN¹,κN¹′)tricarbonyl(9,10‐dihydro‐9,10‐dioxoanthracene‐2‐carboxylato‐κO)rhenium (fac‐[Re^I(aq‐2‐CO₂)(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)₃]) were investigated and compared to those of the free ligand 9,10‐dihydro‐9,10‐dioxoanthracene‐2‐carboxylate (=anthraquinone‐2‐carboxylate) and other carboxylato complexes containing the (2,2′‐bipyridine)tricarbonylrhenium ([Re(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)₃]) moiety. Flash and steady‐state irradiations of the anthraquinone‐derived ligand (λ_exc 337 or 351 nm) and of its complex reveal that the photophysics of the latter is dominated by processes initiated in the Re‐to‐(2,2′‐bipyridine) charge‐transfer excited state and 2,2′‐bipyridine‐ and (anthraquinone‐2‐carboxylato)‐centered intraligand excited states. In the reductive quenching by N,N‐diethylethanamine (TEA) or 2,2′,2″‐nitrilotris[ethanol] TEOA, the reactive states are the 2,2′‐bipyridine‐centered and/or the charge‐transfer excited states. The species with a reduced anthraquinone moiety is formed by the following intramolecular electron transfer, after the redox quenching of the excited state: [Re^I(aq−2−CO₂)(2,2′‐bipy^.)(CO)₃]⁻⇌[Re^I(aq−2−CO₂^.)(2,2′‐bipy)(CO)₃]⁻ The photophysics, particularly the absence of a Re^I‐to‐anthraquinone charge‐transfer excited state photochemistry, is discussed in terms of the electrochemical and photochemical results.     

Multiple Pentafluorophenylation of 2,2,3,3,5,6,6‐Heptafluoro‐3,6‐dihydro‐2H‐1,4‐oxazine with an Organosilicon Reagent: NMR and DFT Structural Analysis of Oligo(perfluoroaryl) Compounds

The reagent Me₃Si(C₆F₅) was used for the preparation of a series of perfluorinated, pentafluorophenyl‐substituted 3,6‐dihydro‐2H‐1,4‐oxazines ( 2 – 8 ), which, otherwise, would be very difficult to synthesize. Multiple pentafluorophenylation occurred not only on the heterocyclic ring of the starting compound 1 (Scheme), but also in para position of the introduced C₆F₅ substituent(s) leading to compounds with one to three nonafluorobiphenyl (C₁₂F₉) substituents. While the tris(pentafluorophenyl)‐substituted compound 3 could be isolated as the sole product by stoichiometric control of the reagent, the higher‐substituted compounds 5 – 8 could only be obtained as mixtures. The structures of the oligo(perfluoroaryl) compounds were confirmed by ¹⁹F‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, MS, and/or X‐ray crystallography. DFT simulations of the ¹⁹F‐ and ¹³C‐NMR chemical shifts were performed at the B3LYP‐GIAO/6‐31++G(d,p) level for geometries optimized by the B3LYP/6‐31G(d) level, a technique that proved to be very useful to accomplish full NMR assignment of these complex products.     

Preparation of C2‐Symmetric Bis[2‐(diphenylphosphino)ferrocen‐1‐yl]‐ methane and Its Use in Rhodium‐ and Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation

The two diphosphine ligands (R_p,R_p)‐ and (S_p,S_p)‐bis[2‐(diphenylphospino)ferrocenyl]methane, (R_p,R_p)‐ and (S_p,S_p)‐ 1 , resp., were prepared in six steps from (S)‐ and (R)‐ferrocenyl tolyl sulfoxide, respectively (Scheme). In the solid state, both the diborane complex (R_p,R_p)‐ 1 ? (BH₃)₂ and the palladium dichloride complex [PdCl₂((R_p,R_p)‐ 1 )] were found to adopt C₂‐pseudosymmetric structures according to X‐ray analyses (Figs. 2 and 3). In the Rh‐ and Ru‐catalyzed hydrogenation of selected alkenes and ketones in the presence of the new ligands, enantioselectivities of up to 55% ee were obtained.     

15N NMR spectra and reactivity of 2,4,6‐triazidopyridines, 2,4,6‐triazidopyrimidine and 2,4,6‐triazido‐s‐triazine

2,4,6‐Triazido‐s‐triazine, 2,4,6‐triazidopyrimidine and six different 2,4,6‐triazidopyridines were studied by ¹⁵N NMR spectroscopy. The assignment of signals in the spectra was performed using the gauge‐independent atomic orbital (GIAO)–Tao‐Perdew‐Staroverov‐Scuseria exchange‐correlation functional (TPSS)h/6‐311+G(d,p) calculations on the M06‐2X/6‐311+G(d,p) optimized molecular geometries. The Truhlar and coworkers' continuum solvation model called SMD was applied to treat solvent effects. With this approach, the root mean square error in estimations of the ¹⁵N chemical shifts for the azido groups was just 1.9 ppm. It was shown that the different reactivity of the α‐ and γ‐azido groups in pyridines correlates well with the chemical shifts of the N_α signals of these groups. Of two nonequivalent azido groups of azines, the azido group with the most shielded N_α signal is the most electron‐deficient and reactive toward electron‐rich reagents. By contrast, the azido group of azines with the most deshielded N_α signal is the most reactive toward electron‐poor reagents. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

(E/Z)‐Isomerization of 3′‐Epilutein

3′‐Epilutein (=(all‐E,3R,3′S,6′R)‐4′,5′‐didehydro‐5′,6′‐dihydro‐β,β‐carotene‐3,3′‐diol; 1 ), isolated from the flowers of Caltha palustris, was submitted to both thermal isomerization and I₂‐catalyzed photoisomerization. The structures of the main products (9Z)‐ 1 , (9′Z)‐ 1 , (13Z)‐ 1 , (13′Z)‐ 1 , (15Z)‐ 1 , and (9Z,9′Z)‐ 1 were determined based on UV/VIS, CD, ¹H‐NMR, and MS data.     

4‐Aryl‐2‐ferrocenyl‐ and 2‐Aryl‐4‐ferrocenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1,5‐benzothiazepines with Potentially Biological Activities: Synthesis,Characterization, X‐ray Diffraction Studies

A series of novel 4‐aryl‐2‐ferrocenyl‐ and 2‐aryl‐4‐ferrocenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1,5‐benzothiazepines 3a , 3b , 3c , 3d , 3e , 3f and 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e was obtained by the condensation of 1‐aryl‐3‐ferrocenyl‐ and 3‐aryl‐1‐ferrocenyl‐2‐propenones 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , 1e , 1f and 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e , respectively, with o‐aminothiophenol in the presence of AcOH and HCl (~64–91%). Their structures were established based on the spectroscopic data and X‐ray diffraction analysis of the compounds 3d , 5a , and 6c .     

Functionalized 3,3′,5,5′‐Tetraaryl‐1,1′‐Biphenyls: Novel Platforms for Molecular Receptors

This paper describes the development of novel aromatic platforms for supramolecular construction. By the Suzuki cross‐coupling protocol, a variety of functionalized m‐terphenyl derivatives were prepared (Schemes 1–4). Macrolactamization of bis(ammonium salt) (S,S)‐ 6 with bis(acyl halide) 7 afforded the macrocyclic receptor (S,S)‐ 2 (Scheme 1), which was shown by ¹H‐NMR titration studies to form ‘nesting' complexes of moderate stability (K_a between 130 and 290 M ^?1, 300 K) with octyl glucosides 13 – 15 (Fig. 2) in the noncompetitive solvent CDCl₃. Suzuki cross‐coupling starting from 3,3′,5,5′‐tetrabromo‐1,1′‐biphenyl provided access to a novel series of extended aromatic platforms (Scheme 5) for cleft‐type (Fig. 1) and macrotricyclic receptors such as (S,S,S,S)‐ 1 . Although mass‐spectral evidence for the formation of (S,S,S,S)‐ 1 by macrolactamization between the two functionalized 3,3′,5,5′‐tetraaryl‐1,1′‐biphenyl derivatives (S,S)‐ 33 and 36 was obtained, the ¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR spectra of purified material remained rather inconclusive with respect to both purity and constitution. The versatile access to the novel, differentially functionalized 3,3′,5,5′‐tetrabromo‐1,1′‐biphenyl platforms should ensure their wide use in future supramolecular construction.     

Metabolism of Deuterated threo‐Dihydroxy Fatty Acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Enantioselective Formation and Characterization of Hydroxylactones and γ‐Lactones

Biotransformation of (±)‐threo‐7,8‐dihydroxy(7,8‐²H₂)tetradecanoic acids (threo‐(7,8‐²H₂)‐ 3 ) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae afforded 5,6‐dihydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecanoic acids (threo‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 4 ), which were converted to (5S,6S)‐6‐hydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecano‐5‐lactone ((5S,6S)‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 7 ) with 80% e.e. and (5S,6S)‐5‐hydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecano‐6‐lactone ((5S,6S)‐5,6‐²H₂)‐ 8 ). Further β‐oxidation of threo‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 4 yielded 3,4‐dihydroxy(3,4‐²H₂)decanoic acids (threo‐(3,4‐²H₂)‐ 5 ), which were converted to (3R,4R)‐3‐hydroxy(3,4‐²H₂)decano‐4‐lactone ((3R,4R)‐ 9 ) with 44% e.e. and converted to ²H‐labeled decano‐4‐lactones ((4R)‐(3‐²H₁)‐ and (4R)‐(2,3‐²H₂)‐ 6 ) with 96% e.e. These results were confirmed by experiments in which (±)‐threo‐3,4‐dihydroxy(3,4‐²H₂)decanoic acids (threo‐(3,4‐²H₂)‐ 5 ) were incubated with yeast. From incubations of methyl (5S,6S)‐ and (5R,6R)‐5,6‐dihydroxy(5,6‐²H₂)dodecanoates ((5S,6S)‐ and (5R,6R)‐(5,6‐²H₂)‐ 4a ), the (5S,6S)‐enantiomer was identified as the precursor of (4R)‐(3‐²H₁)‐ and (2,3‐²H₂)‐ 6 ). Therefore, (4R)‐ 6 is synthesized from (3S,4S)‐ 5 by an oxidation/keto acid reduction pathway involving hydrogen transfer from C(4) to C(2). In an analogous experiment, methyl (9S,10S)‐9,10‐dihydroxyoctadecanoate ((9S,10S)‐ 10a ) was metabolized to (3S,4S)‐3,4‐dihydroxydodecanoic acid ((3S,4S)‐ 15 ) and converted to (4R)‐dodecano‐4‐lactone ((4R)‐ 18 ).