Abstract Both the enantiomers of neuchromenin 1 (2, 3-dihydro-8, 9-dihydroxy-2-methyl-4H, 5H-pyrano [3, 2-c][1] benzopyran-4-one) were synthesized starting from the enantiomers of ethyl 3-hydoxybutanoate (7). The naturally occurring (−)-neuchromenin, a neurotrophic metabolite of Eupenicillium javanicum var. meloforme, was shown to be (S)-1.
