Stereoselective total synthesis of the proposed structure of 2-epibotcinolide.

[Structure: see text] The total synthesis of pseudo 2-epibotcinolide (1b) through several featured synthetic approaches has been attained. First, the chiral linear precursors of the nine-membered ring compound is stereoselectively constructed by the asymmetric aldol reaction for producing beta-hydroxy ester units. Second, the key cyclization reaction to form the nine-membered lactone moiety is efficiently achieved by the extremely facile and powerful mixed-anhydride method promoted by 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride (MNBA) with basic promoters.