Efficient Synthesis of Akolactone A via Pd-Catalyzed Carbonylation

Abstract

The first synthesis of (+)- and (−)-akolactone A is described by using Pd-catalyzed carbonylation. A comparison of the optical rotation of both enantiomers of akolactone A and the natural compound suggests that the absolute configuration at the 4-position of akolactone A is R.

• Pd-catalyzed carbonylation
• α,β-unsaturated-γ-lactone