For a quarter of a century, metathesis has become indispensable for the synthesis of natural and non-natural products, particularly of biologically active compounds. This review illustrates through a maximum of appropriate examples the power and the versatility of the metathesis ring-closure (RCM) reaction as a key ring-closure methodology for the synthesis of natural macrocycles. Its high functional group compatibility as well as the possibility of further transformations makes this reaction a powerful tool in the cases where the structural framework and function requirements are difficult to meet.

As reações de crotonaldeído (8) com tiofenol (2) e benzalacetona (10) com 1,2-etanoditiol (11) levam aos produtos de adição de Michael. As reações de tiofenol (2) com (R)-carvona (13) e (S)-perilaldeído (15) levam aos produtos (2S,3R,5S)-5-isopropenil-2-metil-3-feniltio-cicloexanona (14) e (1R,2R,4S)-4-isopropenil-2-feniltio-cicloexano carbaldeído (16), respectivamente. Também é apresentada a elucidação inequívoca da estereoquímica de 14 e 16 por RMN.

The reactions of crotonaldehyde (8) with thiophenol (2) and benzalacetone (10) with ethane-1,2-dithiol (11) yield Michael addition products. The reactions of thiophenol (2) with (R)-carvone (13) and (S)-perillaldehyde (15) lead to (2S,3R,5S)-5-isopropenyl-2-methyl-3-(phenylthio)cyclohexanone (14) and (1R,2R,4S)-4-isopropenyl-2-(phenylthio)cyclohexanecarbaldehyde (16), respectively. An unambiguous elucidation of the stereochemistry of 14 and 16 by NMR is also presented.