Stereocontrol by introduction of a sulfur functional group in the asymmetric reduction of β-ketoesters with baker's yeast; preparation of optically pure 3s-hydroxydithioesters as a new chiral synthon of natural product synthesis
Asymmetric reduction of β-ketothioester derivatives with baker's yeast produced the corresponding opticallypure 3S-hydroxyethioesters, which are useful chiral building blocks in organic synthesis. The utility of the present method was demonstrated in the stereoselectivesynthesis of sex attractant of pine saw-fly, (2S,3S,7S)-5,7-dimethylpentadec-2-yl acetate from the SS-hydroxy esters.