Robust routes for the synthesis of N-acylated-l-homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing molecules with high levels of enantiomeric purity

The ready availability of native quorum sensing molecules and related structural analogues is of significant biological interest in the development of methods to manipulate bacterial quorum sensing systems in a useful fashion. In this Letter we report robust routes for the synthesis of a range of N-acylated-l-homoserine lactone (AHL) quorum sensing molecules. Crucially, we have analysed the enantiopurity of the final AHLs and in all cases, excellent levels were observed.