Synthesis of the C18–C26 tetrahydrofuran-containing fragment of amphidinolide C congeners via tandem asymmetric dihydroxylation and S_N2 cyclization

The C18–C26 fragment of amphidinolide C congeners has been synthesized starting from methyl acetoacetate in 14 steps in >17.0% overall yield. The C20 stereogenic center was secured by asymmetric hydrogenation of a β-keto ester and the configuration at both C23 and C24 was introduced by asymmetric dihydroxylation (AD). The trans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran ring was assembled via the tandem AD–S_N2 sequence. The latter protocol could be employed for accessing the corresponding cis-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran rings from the same alkene substrates simply by choosing a suitable AD ligand. Moreover, functional group compatibility was observed for the Ru(II)-catalyzed hydrogenation of β-keto esters and the Pd(0)–Cu(I)-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. These findings should be valuable for general synthetic design and application.