An expedient, five step synthesis of caprolacta
m 1 is reported starting fro
m natural L-ho
moserine. Thekey step is a che
moselective reductive cyclization of
mages/gifchars/alpha.gif" BORDER=0>,
mages/gifchars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="
middle">-unsaturated nitrile
10 mediated by Raney-Cotype
metals. This hydrogenation is extensively investigated in order to account for the observed productdistribution and yields.