Chemoenzymic, enantiocomplementary, total asymmetric synthesis of leukotrienes-B3 and -B4.

I. C. Cotterill, G. Dorman, K. Faber, R. Jaouhari, S. M. Roberts, F. Scheinmann, J. Spreitz, A. G. Sutherland, J. A. Winders, B. J. Wakefield

Abstract:
The ketone I has been resolved using various enzyme-catalyzed reactions and the enantiomer (+)-I was transformed into the benzoate II while (-)-I was converted into the esters III [X = (Z)-CH:CH, CH2CH2]. II and III [X = (Z)-CH:CH] are complementary sections of leukotriene B4 while II and III (X = CH2CH2) are late-stage synthons for leukotriene B3.