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A concise enantioselective synthesis of malyngamide W (1) and its 2'-epimer was described. The strategy was based on three key steps: (1) ozonolysis of compound 11 which was derived from (R)-(-)-carvone 8, followed by copper-iron-catalyzed rearrangement to give the key cyclohex-2-enone intermediate 5, (2) Nozaki-Hiyama-Kishi coupling reaction between aldehyde 4 and iodide 14 to afford alcohol 3, and (3) asymmetric (R)-CBS reduction of the ketone functionality in compound 21 to establish the C-2' chiral center in the target compound 1. The absolute configuration of malyngamide W (1) was thus confirmed via the synthesis of 1 and 2'-epi-1.

An accelerated and improved asymmetric synthesis of malyngamide U (1) and its 2'-epimer (2'-epi-1) was accomplished from readily available n-hexanal, ethanolamine and (R)-(-)-carvone. The key steps involved a Johnson-Claisen rearrangement in the synthesis of an unsaturated carboxylic acid 4 and an aldol reaction in the construction of the skeleton of 1 and 2'-epi-1. There are 13 steps in the synthesis, with a 2.7% overall yield for 1 and a 0.4% yield for 2'-epi-1.

The enantioselective synthesis of the previously proposed structure of malyngamide U (1) was accomplished in 18 steps from (S)-(+)-carvone. The key steps involved a hydroxymethylation of (S)-(+)-carvone and an asymmetric Henry reaction of aldehyde (+)-5, as well as condensation with the acid 3. The 1H and 13C NMR data of the synthetic compound 1 were not consistent with the data of the reported malyngamide U. The C-2' epimer of compound 1 was therefore synthesized by a similar reaction sequence. While the NMR data of C-2' epimer 23 were in full agreement with those of the reported product, the discrepancy in the specific rotation data suggested the correct structure of malyngamide U should be structure 2, in which the absolute configuration of the amine part was enantiomeric with that in compound 23. Then the correct absolute configuration of revised malyngamide U (2) was confirmed by the similar synthesis from (R)-(-)-carvone.