Synthesis of several cleistrioside and cleistetroside natural products via a divergent de novo asymmetric approach.

The de novo asymmetric syntheses of several partially acylated dodecanyl tri- and tetra-rhamnoside natural products (cleistriosides-5 and 6 and cleistetrosides-2 to 7) have been achieved (19-24 steps). The divergent route requires the use of three or less protecting groups. The asymmetry was derived via Noyori reduction of an acylfuran. The rhamno-stereochemistry was installed by a diastereoselective palladium-catalyzed glycosylation, ketone reduction and dihydroxylation.