Synthesis of optically pure (+)-puraquinonic acid and assignment of absolute configuration to natural (-)-puraquinonic acid. Use of radical cyclization for asymmetric generation of a quaternary center.

An asymmetric aldol reaction between aldehyde 31 and imide 32, followed at a later stage by ring-closing metathesis (38 --> 40), are key reactions used to make optically pure allylic alcohol 40. Radical cyclization of the derived Stork bromo acetals gives lactol ethers 43, which were degraded to generate a quaternary center carrying a methoxycarboxyl group (44 --> 47). Compound 47 was converted into (+)-puraquinonic acid; and comparison with a natural sample established that the configuration of the natural compound is 2R (1).