Preparation of (-)-cis- and (-)-trans-2, 4-Dimethylcyclohexan-1-ones for the Synthesis of Cycloheximides

Abstract

Microbial reduction of (±)-2, 4-dimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-one by Beauveria sulfurescens led mainly to two isomers of 2, 4-dimethylcyclohexanols. By oxidation of these alcohols, chiral building blocks for cycloheximide synthesis were obtained, namely (-)-(2R, 4R)-2, 4-dimethylcyclohexan-1-one and (-)-(2R, 4S)-2, 4-dimethylcyclohexan-1-one.