Synthesis of a glandular secretion of the civet cat, (2S,6S)-(6-methyltetrahydropyran-2-yl)acetic acid and its enantiomer, by using the yeast-reduction product and recovered substrate from yeast reduction

A diastereoselective route to 2,6-syn-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans: synthesis of the civet compound (+)-2-((2S,6S)-6-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl) acetic acid

A diastereoselective synthesis of 2,6-syn-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans has been developed based on the ability of furanyl-ether chiral centres to epimerise readily under acidic conditions. This novel methodology was applied to the synthesis of (+)-2-((2S,6S)-6-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl) acetic acid, a component of the African civet cat's glandular marking secretion.