Diastereodivergent Strategies for the Synthesis of Homochiral Aculeatins

We report concise and stereocontrolled syntheses of aculeatins (-)-A, (+)-B, (+)-D, and (+)-6-epi-D. Diastereodivergent 1,3-inductions in Mukaiyama aldol coupling contribute to reduce steps and to increase flexibility with reactants having sterically restricted proximal substituents (i.e., CH2), involving either a good anti or a moderate syn 1,3-induction, depending on the nature of protecting group (P). In addition, the 3,5-syn-diol-ketone resulting from concomitant deprotection of the beta-alkoxy (Tr = trityl) group proves to be remarkably stable whereas the 3,5-anti diastereoisomer cyclizes spontaneously to the corresponding tetrahydropyran hemiketal, thus enabling a useful and facile separation. The second part of our study is devoted to improving the yield and the diastereoselectivity of the final phenolic oxidation reaction leading to aculeatins.