Towards the total synthesis of mandelalide B: construction of the tetrahydrofuran/α-hydroxyl lactone fragment

Abstract

The synthesis of the tetrahydrofuran/α-hydroxyl lactone fragment of mandelalide B has been achieved in a concise and highly stereoselective manner. The key steps in our synthesis are a mild Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons olefination to create the key carboxylate containing olefin, and a highly stereospecific iodine induced cyclization to construct the α-hydroxyl lactone moiety.