Macrolactonization Driven by Supramolecular Interactions

Macrolactones constitute a privileged class of natural and synthetic products with a broad range of applications in the fine chemicals and pharmaceutical industry. Despite all the progresses made towards their synthesis, notably from seco-acids, a macrolactonization promoter system that is effective, selective, flexible, readily available, and, insofar as possible, compatible with manifold functional groups is still lacking. Herein, we describe an alternative strategy relying on a speculated supramolecular template to enable a convenient access to macrolactones, macrodiolides and esters with a versatility that had not been reached with classic methods.