Total synthesis of aspinolide B: a ring-closing metathesis approach

A highly convergent stereoselective total synthesis of aspinolide B, a 10-membered lactone is described. The key step includes a ring-closing metathesis reaction to construct the 10-membered ring and the E—olefinic moiety. d-Mannitol was used as a chiral pool material for the construction of the key fragments—the olefinic acid and the olefinic alcohol moieties.