Chemoenzymatic synthesis of (E)-3,7-dimethyl-2-octene-1,8-diol isolated from the hairpencils of male danaus chrysippus (African monarch)

The synthesis of (E)-3,7-dimethyl-2-octene-1,8-diol (1), which was isolated from the hairpencils of male Danaus chrysippus (African Monarch), was investigated. The key step of the sequence involves asymmetric desymmetrization of the 1,3-propanediol 7 with lipase, in which high enantioselectivity was observed. Total synthesis afforded (S)-1 in 12 steps and 26% overall yield from readily available geraniol.