High-speed microwave-promoted Mitsunobu inversions. Application toward the deracemization of sulcatol

An enantioconvergent synthesis of the aggregation pheromones (R)- and (S)-suleatol (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol) is described. Key steps in the deracemization strategy are sequential combinations of enzymatic resolutions and Mitsunobu inversions. Racemization-free Mitsunobu transformations have been carried out within 5 min by microwave irradiation, providing the desired sulcatyl acetates with clean inversion of chirality. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.