Conception and evolution of stereocontrolled strategies toward functionalized 8-aryloctanoic acids related to the total synthesis of aliskiren.

A detailed account is given describing the approaches used toward the total synthesis of aliskiren. In particular, ring-closing metathesis with the Hoveyda-Grubbs catalyst accelerates the formation of a 9-membered lactone from an (R)-ester. The diastereomeric (S)-ester leads to the formation of dimeric dilactones, which were characterized by X-ray analysis and chemical conversions.