Synthesis of novel antifungal phthalides produced by a wheat rhizosphere fungus

Two antifungal phthalides produced by a wheat rhizosphere fungus have been synthesized using the Alder-Rickert reaction to construct their common isobenzofuranone core structure. The absolute configuration of one of the two phthalides has been determined to be S by synthesizing its (S)- and (R)-enantiomer and comparing their optical rotations with that of the natural product.