Designer Discodermolide Segments via Ozonolysis of Vinyl Phosphonates

To apply our collection of enantiopure 7-ring vinyl sulfones to probe the anticancer SAR of a series of computer-designed (+)-discodermolide analogs, the ozonolytic reactivity of transposed cyclic vinyl phosphonates was explored. Successful preparation of the desired aldehyde-esters and lactones from vinyl phosphonates via an oxidative cleavage−phosphite/methanol exchange sequence is described.