A concise and stereospecific synthesis of some cyclitols containing eight-membered rings: cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraoles

A concise and efficient synthesis of cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraoles, new polyhydroxylated eight-membered carbocycles, is described starting from cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene. Cyclooctene endoperoxide obtained by photooxygenation of cis,cis-1,3-cyclooctadiene was the key compound in the synthesis. Reduction of the endoperoxide with zinc or thiourea followed by acetylation of the hydroxyl group and OsO4/NMO oxidation of the double bond gave (1R(S),2S(R),3R(S),4S(R))-cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraol. Interestingly, epoxidation of cyclooctene-1,4-diol with m-CPBA also afforded trans-epoxy-diol 17. (1R(S),2R(S),3R(S),4S(R))-cyclooctane-1,2,3,4-tetraol was easily obtained by hydrolysis of epoxy-diol 17.

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