Synthesis 2004(4): 595-599  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815963
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of the Marine Compound (2R,5Z,9Z)-2-Methoxyhexacosa-5,9-dienoic Acid via a Lipase-Catalyzed Resolution and a Novel O-Alkylation Protocol

Bheemashankar A. Kulkarni, Anubha Sharma, Sunita Gamre, Subrata Chattopadhyay*
Bio-Organic Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai - 400 085, India
Fax: +91(22)5505151; e-Mail: schatt@apsara.barc.ernet.in;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 11 December 2003
Publication Date:
10 February 2004 (online)

Abstract

The title compound has been synthesized by a facile route starting from 4-pentyn-1-ol. The enantioselectivity was attained by a strategy involving a lipase-catalyzed acetylation of a solid-phase immobilized long chain α-hydroxy acid. Another important feature of the synthesis was the formulation of an efficient HgO-catalyzed O-methylation of the α-hydroxy acids which proceeded without any racemization. The alkylation protocol was also highly efficient for selective mono-methylation/benzylation of symmetrical diols.