Diastereoselective and Enantioselective Total Synthesis of the Hepatoprotective Agent Clausenamide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00228a037

The diastereoselective total synthesis of the naturally ocurring hepatoprotective agent clausenamide (3-hydroxy-5-(α-hydroxybenzyl)-1-methyl-4-phenylpyrrolidin-2-one) is described, starting from ethyl cinnamate and diethyl acetamidomalonate.The enantioselective total synthesis of optically pure (+)-clausenamide is presented.The synthesis is based on a novel method for the preparation of optically pure (2S,3S)-3-phenylglutamic acid.