Enantioselective synthesis of cyclopentyltetrahydrofuran (Cp-THF), an important high-affinity P2-ligand for HIV-1 protease inhibitors

A convenient optically active synthesis of (3aS,5R,6aR)-5-hydroxy-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]furan, a high-affinity nonpeptidyl ligand for HIV-1 protease inhibitor 2, is described. The synthesis utilizes commercially available (1R,5S)-(+)-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-6-en-3-one as the starting material and oxymercuration or bromohydrin reaction as the key step. Enantiopure ligand was converted to protease inhibitor 2.