Catalytic asymmetric syntheses of (−)-oudemanisin A and its diastereomer

Abstract The first asymmetric catalytic synthesis of (−)-oudemanisin A 1a and its diastereomer 1b has been achieved. The key steps of our strategy involved the asymmetric alkynylation of an unsaturated aliphatic aldehyde catalyzed by Trost’s ProPhenol ligand, chemoselective oxidation of the olefinic diol, base-induced ring opening of the lactone, and acylation–alkylation of the ester.