Cyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-trans-diols - Synthesis and Application in Target-Oriented Syntheses

An exhaustive overview of the field of cyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-trans-diols is given. Early and recent methods for the formation of the compounds are reviewed and the various syntheses in which the title compounds have been applied are presented. Special emphasis is given to naturally occurring epoxides, which have been the dominant target molecules since the 1970s. Finally, recent advances in biotechnology are highlighted; with the increased availability of the enantiomerically pure cyclohexa-3,5-diene-1,2-trans-diols, new synthetic endeavours were initiated.