Synthesis of the Enantiomerically Enriched Macrocyclic Lactones (+)-(S)- and (−)-(R)-Phoracantholide I and (+)-(S)-Tetradecan-13-olide

Synthesis of two naturally occurring macrocyclic lactones is described. (?)-(R)-Phoracantholide I ((?)- 1 ; Scheme 2) was synthesized by asymmetric and chemoselective reduction of the side-chain C?O group of (?)4-(1-nitro-2-oxocyclohexyl)butan-2-one ((?)- 6 ) with (R)-Alpine-Hydride (47% ee). It was shown that the formation of only one diastereoisomer of the hemiacetal 5 , by methylation with (i-PrO)₂TiMe₂ of ketoaldehyde (?)- 2 is thermodynamically controlled. (+)-(S)-Tetradecan-13-olide ((+)- 10 ) was obtained by reduction of diketone (±)- 11 with optically active borohydrides followed by denitration (Scheme 3).