Bioreduction of (R)-carvone and regioselective Baeyer-Villiger oxidations: Application to the asymmetric synthesis of cryptophycin fragment A

Abstract Cryptophycin fragment A ( 1 ) was prepared in high enantiomeric purity in 10 steps from ( R )-carvone. A stereoselective bioreduction of ( R )-carvone to neodihydrocarveol and a regioselective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone 8 with pertrifluoroacetic acid were employed in this synthesis.