Synthetic Approaches to Naturally Occurring Ten-Membered-Ring Lactones

Abstract The strategies for the synthesis of naturally occurring ten-membered-ring lactones, which are the most abundant of the medium-ring lactones, are discussed. According to their structures and/or biosynthesis, the molecules are classified in monocyclic polyketides, monocyclic oxylipins, aliphatic bicyclic and aromatic bicyclic lactones. In each subsection, the lactones are presented in chronological order of their isolation. Representative complex systems bearing multiple functionalities in addition to the lactone moiety, as well as a selection of recent synthetic approaches to non-natural medium-ring lactones, are briefly presented. 1 Introduction 2 Monocyclic Ten-Membered-Ring Lactones 2.1 Polyketides 2.2 Oxylipins 3 Bicyclic Ten-Membered-Ring Lactones 3.1 Aliphatic 3.2 Aromatic 4 Complex Ten-Membered-Ring Lactones 5 Non-natural Lactones: Selected Synthetic Approaches 6 Conclusion