Synthesis of 5-alkylidene-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones, an easily accessible family of axially chiral alkenes: preparation in non-racemic form and platinum binding studies.

A general synthetic route to 5-alkylidene-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones, which are a family of axially chiral alkenes, is described. Conformational issues are explored and the platinum-binding properties of these species are discussed. That these alkenes exist as stable enantiomers is established by their partial kinetic resolution upon reaction with cysteine.