Enantioselective Synthesis of (-)-Dysiherbaine

Dysiherbaine, a natural product isolated from the Marine sponge Dysidea herbacea, has been shown to be a selective agonist of non-NMDA type glutamate receptors, kainate receptors. An enantioselective synthesis of dysiherbaine is reported. Metathesis of the diene followed by conversion of the resulting alkene to the amino alcohol and addition of the amino acid provides the natural product. This synthesis differs from previous approaches to the molecule in that the functionality on the tetrahydropyran ring is installed late in the route.