Synthetic Approaches to α,β‐Unsaturated δ‐Lactones and Lactols

The synthesis of six‐membered unsaturated δ‐lactones has generated considerable interest, due to their occurrence in a large number of natural products possessing potent biological activities. This microreview attempts to illustrate the different strategies used to obtain such compounds, with a special emphasis on catalytic and asymmetric approaches. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)