Enantioselective synthesis of pantolactone analogues from an ephedrine-derived morpholine-dione

An efficient enantioselective synthesis of β,β-dialkyl α-hydroxy γ-butyrolactones, analogues of pantolactone, has been developed employing a stereoselective Prins reaction of chiral alkylidene morpholinones, as the key step. Enantioselective synthesis of a naturally occurring pantolactone homologue and a spiro analogue of pantolactone was achieved with this protocol.