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The allylic hydroxylation of enones using dioxygen as the oxidant has been studied. The reaction was first examined in the absence of any catalyst, using β-ionone as a model substrate. Then a new copper-aluminium mixed oxide, Cu-Al Ox, was prepared and characterized in order to be used as a catalyst. This oxide showed good activity, and provided the corresponding γor ε-hydroxylated enones, starting from different α,βor α,β,γ,δ-unsaturated ketones. In all cases, the [a]

[reaction: see text] The enantioselective synthesis of a 7,11-dihydroxyguaianolide bearing the stereochemistry present in thapsigargin, a potent and selective inhibitor of the Ca(2+) SERCA-ATPase pumps, is described. Starting from (+)-dihydrocarvone, the synthesis presents two key steps. The first one involves the photochemical rearrangement of a gamma,delta-unsaturated ketone eudesmane into the corresponding guaiane. The second step consists of the regioselective oxidation of an unprotected tetrahydroxylated ketone to provide a dihydroxylactone with the required stereochemistry.

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