Synthesis of tricyclic precursors of cyclitols

Stereoselective syntheses of three tricyclic cyclohexenones are described. These compounds were conceived as novel precursors of synthetic conduritols, quercitols, and inositols because they allow diastereoselective C=O reductions, C=C osmylations, and C=C epoxidations to be performed. These functionalizations created up to three uniformly configured oxygen-bearing stereocenters. One of the follow-up products was a tricycle that was amenable to successive cleavages of its 1,4-dioxane and 1,3-dioxane rings. This rendered the pentaesters of neo-quercitol, which contain five stereogenic C-O bonds, with ds = 85:15.© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart New York.