Stereoselective and efficient total synthesis of optically active tetrodotoxin from D-glucose.

A stereoselective and efficient total synthesis of optically active tetrodotoxin (TTX) is described. A polyfunctionalized key cyclitol compound containing branched-chains for the synthesis of TTX was prepared from D-glucose employing the Henry reaction (Nitro aldol reaction) as the key transformation. Stereoselective construction of the alpha-azido-aldehyde branched-chain was achieved via the key spiro alpha-chloroepoxide intermediate.