Pd(0) catalyzed intramolecular alkylation: stereoselective synthesis of furan and isoxazoline-2-oxide analogs

New optically pure isoxazoline-2-oxide and furan analogs have been synthesized using Pd(0) catalyzed intramolecular cyclizations. Starting from a meso-diol, optically pure compounds were prepared without utilizing chiral ligands at any stage of the synthesis. The stereochemical outcome of the product (>99% ee) was influenced by desymmetrization catalyzed by Pseudomonas cepacia lipase and the stereoselective nature of the palladium catalyzed transformations.