Totalsynthese von natürlichem α-Tocopherol. 1. Mitteilung. Herstellung bifunktioneller,optisch aktiver Synthesebausteine für die Seitenkette mit Hilfe mikrobiologischer Umwandlungen

Total Synthesis of Natural α-Tocopherol. I. Preparation of Bifunctional Optically Active Precursors for the Synthesis of the Side Chain by Means of Microbiological Transformations Our concept for a new total synthesis of natural α-tocopherol includes the synthesis of a corresponding (3 R, 7 R)-configurated C₁₅ side chain to be built up by using twice an optically active C₅ unit together with an achiral C₅ end part. (S)-3-methyl-γ-butyrolactone ( 11 ) and (S)-2-methyl-γ-butyrolactone ( 9 ) represent suitable bifunctional C₅-precursors for this purpose. These two key compounds have been prepared by fermentative transformation including the enantioselective hydrogenation of the double bond of ethyl-4, 4-dimethoxy-3-methylcrotonate ( 5 ) by bakers yeast (yielding 11 after ester hydrolysis and cyclization of the fermentation product) and (E)-3-(1′, 3′-dioxolan-2′-yl)-2-buten-1-ol ( 8 ) by the fungus Geotrichum candidum (yielding directly 9 ).