Enantioselective synthesis of the carbocyclic moiety of (−)-carbovir

Enantioselective construction of the protected carbocycle moiety of the anti-HIV drug carbovir was achieved in 11 steps from (S)-(−)-ethyl lactate. The two key steps are a Claisen [3+3] sigmatropic rearrangement of (3S,4E)-3-(4-methoxy-phenoxymethyl)-hex-4-enoic acid dimethylamide and next, a ruthenium-catalysed ring closure metathesis leading to (1S,4S)-4-(4-methoxy-phenoxymethyl)-cyclopent-2-enol.