Desymmetrization of 2,4,5,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-myo-inositol for the synthesis of mycothiol.

An efficient chemical synthesis of mycothiol involving the regioselective ketopinyl desymmetrization of 2,4,5,6-tetrabenzylated D-myo-inositol as the key step is described. Together with a highly α-stereoselective D-glucosaminylation, the whole procedure was accomplished in eight steps with an overall yield of 40%.