Synthesis of podoscyphic acid
Podoscyphic acid 1, a fungal metabolite inhibiting RNA-directed DNA polymerises, was synthesised in four steps starting from dodecanal. The concluding ester hydrolysis of 4 was not feasible with chemical reagents, only enzymatic hydrolysis was mild enough to release the highly reactive natural product in good yields. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.