An efficient and convenient approach to the total synthesis of sphingofungin.

As a new member of the sphingofungin family, sphingofungin F exhibits interesting physiological activities with a structural unit of an alpha-substituted alanine. Described herein is an efficient and convenient stereoselective synthesis of sphingofungin F from L-(+)-tartaric acid, which utilizes Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohol and Lewis acid-catalyzed intramolecular epoxide-opening reaction with an N-nucleophile, to introduce the other two desired stereogenic centers. Side chain functionality was incorporated into the chiral segment using a Wittig reaction.