Recently isolated 4-benzyl-3-phenylfuran-2,5-dione and antifungal gymnoascolide A have been synthesized using the chemoselective SN2′ coupling of phenylmagnesium bromide with dimethyl 2-(bromomethyl)fumarate, chemoselective allylic substitution of bromide in 3-(bromomethyl)-4-phenylfuran-2,5-dione with phenylmagnesium bromide and regioselective N-Selectride-induced reduction of 3-benzyl-4-phenylfuran-2,5-dione as the key reactions.
dimethyl (bromomethyl)fumarate - SN2′ Grignard coupling reaction - functionalized maleic anhydrides - regioselective reduction - gymnoascolide A
