Chemoenzymatic Methods for the Enantioselective Preparation of Sesquiterpenoid Natural Products from Aromatic Precursors

Abstract

The enantiomerically pure cis-1,2-dihydrocatechols 2, which are generated by enzymatic dihydroxylation of the corresponding aromatic, engage in regio- and stereo-controlled Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions to give a range of synthetically useful bicyclo[2.2.2]octenes. Certain examples of the latter type of compound have been used as starting materials in the synthesis of the sesquiterpenoids (-)-patchoulenone and (-)-hirsutene.