Stereoselective sulfoxide directed reduction of 1,2-diketo-derivatives to enantiomerically pure syn and anti 1,2-diols. Correction of the relative configuration by X-ray and chemical correlation to goniobutenolides A and B.

In our recent report on the enantioselective synthesis of syn and anti 1,2- diols from oxalyl-di-(N-methyl-N-methoxyamide), an unfortunate sample inver sion for C-13 NMR analysis led us to an incorrect attribution of their rela tive configurations. We report now the correction of the configurations of these diols by X-ray analysis and chemical correlation to two known natural products, goniobutenolides A and B. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.