Divergent total synthesis of 1,6,8a-tri-epi-castanospermine and 1-deoxy-6,8a-di-epi-castanospermine from substituted azetidin-2-one (β-lactam), involving a cascade sequence of reactions as a key step.

A divergent, short, and novel total synthesis of 1,6,8a-tri-epi-castanospermine (7) and 1-deoxy-6,8a-di-epi-castanospermine (8) has been developed via a common precursor, 15, obtained from D-mannitol derived β-lactam. The key step involves a one pot cascade sequence of trimethyl sulfoxonium ylide based cyclization of epoxy sulfonamide 14via epoxide ring opening, one carbon homologation followed by intramolecular cyclization.