A Concise One-Pot Organo- and Biocatalyzed Preparation of Enantiopure Hexahydrofuro[2,3-b]furan-3-ol: An Approach to the Synthesis of HIV Protease Inhibitors

A simple and efficient one-pot synthesis of enantiopure hexahydrofuro[2,3-b]furan-3-ol, a crucial component of HIV-1 protease inhibitors, was developed. The one-pot process involves an organocatalytic condensation followed by an enzymatic optical resolution. The condensation of 1,2-dihydrofuran and glycolaldehyde was achieved using Schreiner's thiourea catalyst (1 mol-%). A subsequent lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution gave the target alcohol with >99 % ee. To demonstrate the practicality of this method, Darunavir, an HIV-1 protease inhibitor used to treat multi-drug-resistant HIV, was synthesized.