Reductive Cyclizations of Hydroxysulfinyl Ketones:  Enantioselective Access to Tetrahydropyran and Tetrahydrofuran Derivatives

The stereocontrolled formation of cis-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofurans and cis-2,6-disubstituted tetrahydropyrans is achieved from enantiopure ketosulfinyl esters by reduction, Weinreb's amide, and ketone formation, followed by the reductive cyclization (Et3SiH/TMSOTf) of the resulting hydroxysulfinyl ketones. The sulfoxide-bearing heterocycles were transformed into two natural products, (−)-centrolobine (1) and both enantiomers of cis-(6-methyltetrahydropyran-2-yl)acetic acid (2).