AbstractFull details of the asymmetric total synthesis of erythro-8-O-4′-neolignan, machilin C, and its analogue perseal A are reported. The synthesis was involved in the Sharpless dihydroxylation reaction that occurred with excellent asymmetric induction, and the Mitsunobu reaction which occurred with inversion of the absolute configuration from the threo to the erythro isomer. The synthesis was achieved from simple vanillin in eight to twelve steps.
A new phenylethyl alkyl amide, (10R)-10-hydroxy-N-phenethyloctadecanamide (1), was isolated from the beetle Ambrostoma quadriimpressum Motschulsky. The structure of the amide was determined by NMR and MS. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was confirmed by an asymmetric total synthesis, which was started from L-glutamic acid. The construction of the aliphatic chain was accomplished by the selective protection of the hydroxy groups and two-time implementation of the Wittig olefination reaction.