De Novo Asymmetric Synthesis of (+)-Monanchorin.

A de novo asymmetric total synthesis of the guanidine alkaloid natural product (+)-monanchorin has been achieved in nine steps from the commodity chemicals furan and caproic acid. The asymmetry of the route was introduced by a Noyori reduction of an acylfuran. In addition, this route relies upon an Achmatowicz rearrangement, a diastereoselective palladium catalyzed glycosylation, reductive amination, and an acid catalyzed bicyclic guanidine mixed acetal formation.