A SIMPLE SYNTHESIS OF (S)-(+)-SULCATOL, THE PHEROMONE OF GNATHOTRICHUS RETUSUS, EMPLOYING BAKER'S YEAST FOR ASYMMETRIC REDUCTION

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)92449-4

Ethyl (S)-3-hydroxybutanoate of 87percent optical purity was obtained by the yeast reduction of ethyl acetoacetate and was converted into 85-87percent optically pure (S)-(+)-sulcatol (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol) by a 5-step sequence in 73percent overall yield.