Chiral cyclobutanones as versatile synthons: the first enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-laurene

Abstract

A novel and convenient route to the thermodynamically unstable ketone 11via the cyclopentanone 8 which was synthesised by palladium-mediated ring expansion of the chiral siloxyvinylcyclobutanes 9 and 10 has been developed. This leads to an enantioselective total synthesis of (+)- laurene 1.