3-[(4′-Methoxy[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)sulfonyl]amino-2-oxo-5-[(benzylthio)methyl]-tetrahydrofuran: To a solution of methyl 2-[(4′-methoxy[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)sulfonyl]amino-4,5-epoxypentanoate 1d (0.5 g, 1.28 mmol) in benzene (3 mL), NaHCO3 (0.32 g, 3.84 mmol) and Et3N (0.23 mL, 1.6 mmol) at room temperature is added slowly benzyl mercaptan (0.62 mL, 4.99 mmol). The reaction mixture is heated at 70° C. for 3 h, and stirred two days at room temperature. The resulting mixture is diluted with water, and then the mixture is extracted three times with EtOAc. The combined EtOAc layer is washed with water, brine, dried over MgSO4 and concentrated to an oil which is purified by column chromatography eluting with hexane/EtOAc (4:1) to give the desired product.
