An alternative synthetic approach to diaryl ethers has been developed. In the key transformation, Robinson annulation of nonracemic aldehydes 16a, b, derived from l- glutamic acid 5-methyl ester and phenoxymethylvinyl ketone, provided α-phenoxyenones 17a, b. The Cbz-protected oxazolidine 17b was further converted into the diaryl ether 18b utilizing an oxidative selenation protocol.
