A protecting group-free synthesis of the Colorado potato beetle pheromone

A novel synthesis of the aggregation pheromone of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, has been developed based on a Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation in combination with a chemoselective alcohol oxidation using catalytic [(neocuproine)PdOAc](2)OTf2. Employing this approach, the pheromone was synthesized in 3 steps, 80% yield and 86% ee from geraniol