Chemistry Letters, Vol.33, No.5, 516-517, 2004
Modified thermodynamically controlled deracemization of 2-allylcyclohexanone and its application to asymmetric synthesis of (R)-(-)-epilachnene
The efficiency of thermodynamically controlled deracemization was influenced considerably by the Solvent used. Based on this finding, an improved method was developed, by which 2-allylcyclohexanone was converted to the R-isomer of 93% ee in 72% yield. As an application of the method, (R)-(-)-epilachnene, an antipode of the defensive droplets from the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis, was synthesized in short steps.