Asymmetric total synthesis of paecilomycin C through intramolecular nucleophilic ring opening of an epoxide.

The convergent total synthesis of naturally occurring paecilomycin C is described here for the first time. Asymmetric Brown allylation, E-selective cross metathesis, and a biomimetic carboxylate assisted intramolecular nucleophilic ring opening of an epoxide were employed to access the enantiopure γ-lactone framework of the natural product. Late stage E-selective Julia-Kocienski olefination was then employed to furnish the natural product in an efficient way.