Asymmetric syntheses of 1-deoxy-6,8a-di-epi-castanospermine and 1-deoxy-6-epi-castanospermine.

Asymmetric syntheses of both 1-deoxy-6,8a-di-epi-castanospermine and 1-deoxy-6-epi-castanospermine, polyhydroxylated indolizidine alkaloids that act as selective glycosidase inhibitors, have been accomplished in seven steps. The key feature of our unique syntheses includes the stereoselective introduction of the C-3 and C-4 hydroxyl groups utilizing the aza-Claisen rearrangement-induced ring expansion of 1-acyl-2-alkoxyvinyl pyrrolidine and a substrate-controlled stereoselective transannulation of the resulting azoninone intermediate.