Highly diastereo- and enantioselective catalytic synthesis of the bis-tetrahydrofuran alcohol of Brecanavir and Darunavir

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An efficient highly diastereo- and enantioselective synthesis of the bis-tetrahydrofuran (bis-THF) alcohol of several HIV protease inhibitors, including Brecanavir and Darunavir, has been achieved utilizing an Evans Mukaiyama aldol reaction of (benzyloxy)acetaldehyde and a silyl ketene acetal. The lactone alcohol intermediate from the catalytic aldol reaction was reduced to a lactol. Palladium catalyzed hydrogenolysis removed the benzyl protection and promoted an in situ cyclization to form the epimer of the bis-THF alcohol in a 98:2 diastereomeric ratio and 97:3 enantiomeric ratio. The alcohol epimer was readily converted to the target in two steps by oxidation to a ketone followed by highly selective reduction to the bis-THF alcohol.