posted on 2015-05-15, 00:00authored byRobert
J. H. Scanes, Oleg Grossmann, André Grossmann, David R. Spring
The
enantioselective intramolecular Rauhut–Currier reaction
has been developed using a bifunctional dipeptidic phosphane catalyst,
providing a direct access to biologically active α-methylene-δ-valerolactones
in high yields and enantiomeric excesses. The novel catalyst is accessible
in only four steps from commercial sources and exhibits unusual binding
selectivities for a small molecule, suggesting the possibility for
long-range interactions between the catalyst and the substrate.