A short synthesis of α-herbertenol featuring the use of a dihydropyranone as a 1,5-diketone synthon

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)02128-5

The paper describes a short synthesis of α-herbertenol. Key features are the addition of dihyropyranone 5 to an aryllithium to give 1,5-diketone 7; a titanium(O) mediated cyclisation of 7 to diol 8 and a sequential methylation of 8 to herbertenol methyl ether 9.