Stereocontrolled synthesis of exocyclic olefins using arene tricarbonyl chromium complex-catalyzed hydrogenation. II. A catalytic asymmetric synthesis of an anthracycline intermediate.
method for the stereospecificsynthesis of exo-allylic alcohols with trisubstituents is described. Using this methodology in combination with Sharpless catalytic asymmetric epoxidation, an efficient synthesis of (R)-(-)-2-acetyl-5,8-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4- tetrahydro-2-naphthol (5), an important intermediate for the anthracycline synthesis, has been accomplished in 36% overall yield from 5,8-dimethoxy-2-tetralone