Further Syntheses of Optically Active Verrucarinic Acid, 43rd Communication of Verrucarins and Roridins

Two new syntheses of verrucarinic acid (2S, 3R-dihydroxy-3-methylpentanoic acid) and its derivatives, suitably protected for the further conversion to macrocyclic trichothecenes, are described. The first one makes use of a diastereoselective alkylation of a (?)-(S)-malic acid ester and the regioselective reductin of one carboxyl function toa methyl group. The second approach involves a stereoselective addition of an allylsilane to a chiral glyoxylate.