Asymmetrized tris(hydroxymethyl)methane as a precursor of N- and O-containing 6-membered heterocycles through ring-closing metathesis

A novel synthetic application of asymmetrized tris(hydroxymethyl)methane (THYM), obtained in both enantiomeric forms in high e.e. via a chemoenzymatic procedure, is described. Starting from the common precursor , N- and O-containing 6-membered heterocycles have been prepared exploiting ring-closing metathesis as the key step. Possible elaborations of the double bond in and have been explored and, in the case of , conversion into the glycosidase inhibitor isofagomine has been achieved.