Synthesis of moenocinol and its analogs using BT-sulfone in Julia-Kocienski olefination

Moenocinol (C25H42O), the acyclic terpenoid unsaturated lipid part of moenomycin antibiotics, was prepared by an expedient method, which comprised organometallic reaction, Julia-Kocienski olefination, and enolate carbon bond formation as the key steps. The starting materials, nerol and 3-butyn-1-ol, were elaborated to the benzothiazole sulfone 2 and aldehyde 3, and the subsequent Julia-Kocienski olefination occurred in a stereospecific manner to give the desired 6E-configuration of moenocinol. Moenocinol (1) was thus synthesized by 10 linear steps in 12% overall yield, and its analogs 23, 24, and 28 with different chain lengths and unsaturation degrees were also realized by the similar reaction sequences.

The lipid part of moenomycin antibiotics, moenocinol (C25H42O), was synthesized by 10 linear steps in 12% overall yield.