Enantiospecific Total Synthesis of (-)-Swainsonine: New Aplications of Sodium Borohydride Reduction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00220a063

A short, enantiospecific synthesis of (-)-swainsonine (1) from D-mannose has been achieved by a route involving, as a key step, a double cyclization of 4c.The synthesis takes adventage of new features of sodium borohydride for reducing conjugated esters and lactams.