Stereoselective synthesis of malyngic acid and fulgidic acid

A new stereoselective total synthesis of malyngic acid has been achieved from a known oxazolidinone derivative via eight steps involving the Evans asymmetric alkylation as the chirality-inducing step and chelation-controlled Zn(BH4)2 reduction of an α-hydroxy ketone intermediate for the installation of the 12,13-anti stereochemistry. Fulgidic acid, the C12-epimer of malyngic acid, has also been synthesized in eight steps from the same starting material by using syn-selective K-Selectride reduction of an α-alkoxy ketone intermediate.