2-Substituted furans 1a,b,c were found to be conveniently transformed into trans 4-oxo-2-enals 2a,b,c in 62-87% yields by using NBS/pyridine in THF-acetone-H(2)O (<-15 degrees C then rt) or NBS/NaHCO(3) in acetone-H(2)O (<-15 degrees C then rt after addition of pyridine). Further oxidation of the enals 2a-c using NaClO(2) led to the trans 4-oxo-2-enoic acids 3a-c in good yields. With this transformation in mind, we designed syntheses of (+)-aspicilin, (+)-patulolide, and (-)-pyrenophorin. In the synthesis of (+)-aspicilin as shown in Schemes 1 and 2, the pivotal intermediate 6 was prepared from olefin 7 in which 2-furyl group is attached. The AD reaction of 7 secured the C(5) and C(6) stereochemistry of aspicilin, and the subsequent transformation using the protocol described above afforded the ester 6. Stereocontrolled reduction of 6 followed by deprotection and the Yamaguchi macrocyclization furnished (+)-aspicilin. For the synthesis of (+)-patulolide (Scheme 3) and (-)-pyrenophorin (Scheme 4), the intermediates are the furans 38 and 44, which were prepared easily by the classical methods using furyllithium 33. The furan ring oxidations proceeded as well, furnishing acids 40 and 46 in good yields, acetalization of which afforded the known intermediates 41 and 47, respectively.

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To construct a new strategy for synthesis of cyclopentanoids, the transition metal-catalyzed coupling reaction of cis 4-cyclopentene-1,3-diol monoacetate 1 with hard nucleophiles, R(T)-m, was investigated (eq 1 in Chart 1). Although preliminary experiments using PhZnCl, PhSnMe(3), [Ph-B(Me)(OCH(Me)CH(Me)O)]-Li(+) (6a) (derived from boronate ester 4a (R(T) = Ph) and MeLi) in the presence of a palladium or a nickel catalyst resulted in production of unidentified compounds, enone 16, and/or ketone 17 or recovery of 1, a new borate 5a (derived from 4a and n-BuLi) in the presence of a nickel catalyst (NiCl(2)(PPh(3))(2)) in THF at room temperature furnished the trans coupling products 2a (R(T) = Ph) and 3a (R(T) = Ph) in high combined yield, but with a low product ratio of 0.9:1. The ratio was improved to 13:1 by addition of t-BuCN and NaI into the reaction mixture. This is the first successful example of the reaction of 1 with a hard nucleophile, and the increase in the ratio, realized with the additives, is unprecedented. This reagent system (borate 5 (1.2-1.8 equiv), NiCl(2)(PPh(3))(2) (5-10 mol %), t-BuCN (2-5 equiv), NaI (0.5-1 equiv), THF, room temp) was further investigated with aryl borates 5b-g and alkenyl borates 5h-n to afford 2b-n in moderate to good yields (52-89%) with practically acceptable levels of the regioselectivity (5 approximately 21:1), thus establishing the generality of the reaction (Table 2, eqs 6 and 7). Starting with the products of the coupling reaction, syntheses of the prostaglandin intermediates 13 and 14 (for 11-deoxy-PGE(2) and PGA(2)) and Delta(7)-PGA(1) methyl ester (15) were accomplished efficiently. During these investigations, LDA, LiCA, and LHMDS were found to be equally efficient bases for aldol reaction at the alpha' (alpha prime) position of cyclopentenones 39, 40, and 41 (Table 3).

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