Abstract: The development of a potentially general approach to the synthesis of polyketide nature products is presented that features the use of L-aspartic acid as a synthetic equivalent to an asymmetric 1, 3-dicarbonyI fragment. Illustrations of the manner in which the rational application of covalent, chelation, and stereoelectronic control can be used to afford products of complementary stereochemistries are given. Thiol ester 9 has been ...
