Expedient synthesis of bisabolenol stink bug pheromones via stereodefined cyclohex-2-enones

We recently synthesized all stereoisomers of 1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol and 10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol, including three stink bug pheromones, via a rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric addition of trimethylaluminum to diastereomeric mixtures of cyclohex-2-enones. However, yields of trans isomers were low, and scaling reactions using expensive catalysts were cumbersome. Now we describe a new synthesis of bisabolenol stink bug pheromones via (S)- and (R)-4-((R)-6-methylhept-5-en-2-yl)cyclohex-2-enones prepared by enantioselective Michael additions of methyl vinyl ketone to (S)- and (R)-citronellals and lithium hydroxide monohydrate-catalyzed stereoselective cyclizations of intermediate ketoaldehydes. Addition of methyllithium to these enones provided cis- and trans-1,10-bisaboladien-3-ols, which were separated by chromatography on silica and further converted to 10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ols. Thus, we developed more convenient syntheses of pheromones of the rice stink bug, the harlequin bug, and brown marmorated stink bug.