Synthesis of novel antifungal phthalides produced by a wheat rhizosphere fungus

Two antifungal phthalides produced by a wheat rhizosphere fungus have been synthesized using the Alder–Rickert reaction to construct their common isobenzofuranone core structure. The absolute configuration of one of the two phthalides has been determined to be S by synthesizing its (S)- and (R)-enantiomer and comparing their optical rotations with that of the natural product.