A new method for the demetallation of tricarbonyliron diene complexes by total hydrogenation with Raney nickel. Application to a very short synthesis of (+)-[6]-gingerdiol

Demetallation of tricarbonyliron diene complexes is rapidly achieved by treatment with freshly prepared Raney nickel. The ligands which are totally hydrogenated during the decomplexation are easily isolated in high yields, without racemization, if chiral. A very short and efficient synthesis of (+)-(3R,5S)-[6]-gingerdiol, based on this novel decomplexation procedure, which also allows the synthesis of the other diastereomers/enantiomers, is described.