Syntheses of Optically Active Verrucarinic Acid. 40th Communication on Verrucarins and Roridins

Three syntheses of (2S, 3R)-2,5-dihydroxy-3-methylpentanoic acid (verrucarinic acid) and its derivatives suitably protected for the further transformation to macrocyclic trichothecenes are described. These involve an enantioselective ester hydrolysis by pig liver esterase, a Sharpless epoxidation and an asymmetric hydroboration.