An expedient synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted-3-oxygenated tetrahydrofurans

Single enantiomer 2,5-disubstituted-3-oxygenated tetrahydrofurans are synthesized in as little as four steps from a commercially available epoxide. The key steps are homoallylic alcohol epoxidation, palladium-catalysed alkoxy-carbonylation–lactonisation and Mitsunobu inversion. The protocol is applied to the formal total syntheses of (+)-kumausallene, (6S,7S,9R,10R)-6,9-epoxynonadec-18-ene-7,10-diol and the core of lytophilippine A.