Non‐iterative Asymmetric Synthesis of C15 Polyketide Spiroketals

The 2,2′‐methylenebisfuran] ( 1 ) was converted to 1‐{(4R,6S))‐6‐(2R)‐2,4‐dihydroxybutyl]‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐4‐yl}‐3‐(2R,4R)‐tetrahydro‐4,6‐dihydroxy‐2H‐pyran‐2‐yl)propan‐2‐one ((+)‐ 18 ) and its (4S)‐epimer (?)‐ 19 with high stereo‐ and enantioselectivity (Schemes 1–3). Under acidic methanolysis, (+)‐ 18 yielded a single spiroketal, (3R)‐4‐{(1R,3S,4′R,5R,6′S,7R)‐3′,4′,5′,6′‐tetrahydro‐4′‐hydroxy‐7‐methoxyspiro2,6‐dioxabicyclo3.3.1]nonane‐3,2′‐2H]pyran]‐6′‐yl}butane‐1,3‐diol ((?)‐ 20 ), in which both O‐atoms at the spiro center reside in equatorial positions, this being due to the tricyclic nature of (?)‐ 20 (methyl pyranoside formation). Compound (?)‐ 19 was converted similarly into the (4′S)‐epimeric tricyclic spiroketal (?)‐ 21 that also adopts a similar (3S)‐configuration and conformation. Spiroketals (?)‐ 20 , (?)‐ 21 and analog (?)‐ 23 , i.e., (1R,3S,4′R,5R,6′R)‐3′,4′,5′,6′‐tetrahydro‐6′‐(2S)‐2‐hydroxybut‐3‐enyl]‐7‐methoxyspiro2,6‐dioxabicyclo3.3.1]nonane‐3,2′‐2H]pyran]‐4′‐ol, derived from (?)‐ 20 , were assayed for their cytotoxicity toward murine P388 lymphocytic leukemia and six human cancer cell lines. Only racemic (±)‐ 21 showed evidence of cancer‐cell‐growth inhibition (P388, ED₅₀: 6.9 μg/ml).