Rhodium-catalyzed isomerization of 1,3-diene monoepoxides to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

Asymmetric synthesis of quaternary centers. Total synthesis of (-)-malyngolide

[structure] The deracemization of 3-nonyl-3,4-epoxybut-1-ene with Pd(0) in the presence of chiral ligands using p-methoxybenzyl alcohol as a nucleophile proceeds regio- and enantioselectively to form the monoprotected vinylglycidol in 99% ee. This chiral building block was converted in seven steps to (-)-malyngolide, an antibiotic showing significant activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis and Streptococcus pyogenes. An interesting aspect involves controlling the diastereoselectivity of protonation of an enolate via a distal hydroxyl group.