A Concise Synthesis of (E)- and (Z)-Neomanoalides

The first synthesis of (Z)-neomanoalide ( 4 ) and an improved synthesis of its (E)-isomer 3 was accomplished in a concise, regiocontrolled manner by exploiting 2-[(tert-butyl)dimethylsiloxy]-4{[(tert-butyl)dimethylsiloxy]-methyl}furan ( 6 ) as the key reagent. Lithiation of 6 and subsequent reaction with the (2Z)- or (2E)-isomer of (6E)-3-{[(tert-butyl)dimethylsiloxy]methyl}-7-methyl-9-(2′,6′,6′-trimethylcyclohex-1′-enyl)nona-2,6-dienyl bromide ( 5 ), followed by hydrolysis, afforded the corresponding neomanoalide.