A Baylis–Hillman approach to the synthesis of C1–C11 fragment of caribenolide I

Stereoselective synthesis of C1–C11 fragment of caribenolide I, a potent antitumour macrolide isolated from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. is described. The key steps rely on asymmetric aldol reactions, to control the absolute configurations of C2, C3 and C10 stereogenic centres.