General method for the preparation of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactones from (R)- and (S)-1,2-isopropylideneglyceraldehydes
Abstract
Both (R)- and (S)-1,2-isopropylideneglyceraldehydes (1) and (18) are shown to be useful, inexpensive chiral starting materials for syntheses of α-methylene-γ-butyrolactones (15) and (28) which are potential intermediates for biologically important sesquiterpene lactones.