An organocatalytic enantioselective synthesis of (+)-duryne

An efficient enantioselective synthesis of the potent anticancer agent (+)-duryne was achieved by the use of a one-pot organocatalyzed hydroxylation/Ohira-Bestmann and Grubbs cross-metathesis/selective cis-Wittig reaction. This new approach is envisioned to facilitate the synthesis of every representative member of the family. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.