Asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-leuconoxine via chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed desymmetrization of a prochiral diester.

The asymmetric total synthesis of (-)-leuconoxine has been achieved. The desymmetrization of a prochiral diester using a chiral phosphoric acid catalyst produced a highly enantioenriched lactam with excellent yield. The ring construction featuring an intramolecular N-acyliminium cyclization and the one-step pyrrolidone formation using Bestmann's ylide was successfully accomplished.