First Efficient Synthesis of Enantiopure Homoketopinic Acid

The first efficient synthesis of enantiopure homoketopinic acid, an interesting camphor derivative is firstly reported. The synthetic procedure uses 10-(triflyloxy)camphor as key electrophilic intermediate. The ability of 10-(triflyloxy)camphor to react selectively with a charged C-nucleophile (cyanide anion) without undergoing Grob fragmentation of the norbornane framework is also demonstrated.