Various examples of highly diastereoselective aldol reactions are presented where the nonracemic
lithium enolate 6 derived from a C4-oxygenated vinylogous urethane reacts in syn fashion to provide
upon intramolecular lactonization useful γ-alkoxy-δ-lactone synthons 12a−f. In one particular
example, the result of reaction with an acrolein surrogate, the lactone product 12e is applied in an
efficient asymmetric synthesis of (+)-KDO (10 steps, 34% overall yield). Notable transformations
include (1) hydrolysis of the vinylogous urethane functionality, (2) stereoselective reduction of the
resulting β-keto-lactone 2, (3) stereoselective dihydroxylation of the vinyl side chain of δ-lactone
17, and (4) addition of α-ethoxy-vinyllithium to the lactone carbonyl of 19 to procure the aldulosonic
acid residue in 1 upon ozonolysis.