A surprisingly selective, non-enzymatic kinetic resolution of readily available, racemic β-chiral ketones enabled the title process, which was applied to a rapid synthesis of several bioactive flavanones in virtually enantiopure form (see scheme; MOM=methoxymethyl, Ts=p-toluenesulfonyl).

Keywords: Domino reactions / Metathesis / Michael addition / Organocatalysis / Ruthenium / Terpenoids Using a combined organocatalytic/metal-catalyzed strategy, the enantiopure title hydroazulenes were prepared in only four steps from (S)-and (R)-citronellal, respectively. A catalyst-controlled diastereoselective Michael addition of these aldehydes to methyl vinyl ketone followed by chemoselec-

Vinylsulfonamides with a furan, carbocyclic, semicyclic or acyclic 1,3-diene moiety are synthetized via a domino elimination-amidation reaction of 2-chloroethanesulfonyl chloride. Intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of these vinylsulfonamides with thermal (toluene, 110 degrees C) or high pressure (dichloromethane, 13 kbar) activation provides efficient access to a range of gamma- and delta-sultams following a 2-3 d long synthetic procedure. Enantiopure sultams are readily obtained from N-1-phenylethyl substituted vinylsulfonamides.

Using a highly diastereoselective intramolecular acrylate [4+2] cycloaddition as the key step, a short route from 3‐furaldehyde to a bicyclic building block for the synthesis of neoclerodane diterpenes was developed. A first attempt featuring a conjugate methylation of a dienyl lactone failed, but a streamlined sequence using an all‐encompassing intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction of a sterically congested 1,3‐diene was successful.