Study on synthesis of (R)-2,2-dimethyl-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-4-ethynylox-azolidine

(R)-2,2-Dimethyl-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-4-ethynylox-azolidine, an intermediate of the natural product jaspine B, which was isolated from various sponges and endowed with cytotoxic activity against several human carcinoma cell lines, was synthesized from L-Serine in overall yield 43% through seven steps, including esterification, Boc protection, acetonization, reduction, Swern oxidation and Corey-Fuchs reaction.