A general method for the enantioselective synthesis of pantolactone derivatives.
An efficient enantioselective synthesis of beta,beta-dialkyl-gamma-substituted pantolactones has been achieved utilizing the cationic [Sc((S,S)-R-pybox)](Cl)(2)(+), R = Ph (9), t-Bu (10), complex in a catalyzed aldol reaction as the key step. The pantolactone derivatives are isolated in high enantiomeric excesses. [reaction: see text]