Synthesis of Chiral γ-Butyrolactones by a Domino Aldol-Cyclization Reaction

Significance

Chiral lactones are found in numerous biologically active natural products and are useful precursors for the synthesis of many interesting molecules. Based on their previous work on asymmetric tin-catalyzed aldol reactions (Chem. Eur. J. 2009, 15, 11450), the authors have developed a domino approach to prepare γ-butyrolactones in good yields, regio- and enantioselectivity.