Diastereoselectivity in heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of Baylis–Hillman adducts. Total synthesis of (±)-sitophilate

We describe herein a highly diastereoselective total synthesis of racemic sitophilate, based on the results obtained in a diastereoselective heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation reaction of a set of Baylis–Hillman adducts originating from aliphatic aldehydes.