A short and efficient synthesis of 5-hydroxymethylcyclopent-2-enol from d-glucose and its elaboration to the carbanucleoside (−)-carbovir

Introduction of an allyl functionality at C-3 of 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-glucofuranose followed by olefination at C-5 and C-6 provided 1,6-diene 5 which, upon ring closing metathesis and subsequent functional group manipulation, furnished the key cyclopentene diacetate 7, which was elaborated to carbanucleoside (−)-carbovir 1.