Synthesis and epimerisation studies on carbohydrate derived bicyclic tetronate esters: The synthesis of furanofurans related to the cytotoxic metabolite goniofufurone

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(97)00164-6

The synthesis of the D-xylo- 12, D-lyxo- 13, D-ribo- 14 and D-arabino-furanofurans 15 was accomplished from the readily available butyrolactones 4 and 5 via a non-classical Wittig cyclisation/hydrogenation sequence, these compounds are analogues of the cytotoxic natural product goniofufurone.