Enantioselective Synthesis of the .ALPHA.-Pyrone Subunit of Verrucosidin.

4-Methoxyl-6-[(1S)-1-(trimethylsilyloxy)-1-methyl-2-oxobutyl]-3, 5-dimethyl-2H-pyran-2-one (4), a key α-pyrone subunit for the synthesis of verrucosidin (1), has been prepared from 6-ethyl-4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethyl-2H-pyran-2-one (5) in an enantiomerically pure form.