An Efficient and General Enantioselective Synthesis of Sphingosine, Phythosphingosine, and 4-Substituted Derivatives

A general and efficient protocol for the enantioselective synthesis of sphingosine, phythosphingosine, and 4-substituted derivatives was established. These compounds were obtained from a common intermediate prepared from butadiene monoepoxide by a synthetic sequence involving enantioselective allylic substitution, cross-metathesis, and dihydroxylation.