Convergent synthesis of the BCDEFGHIJ-ring polyether core of gambieric acids, potent antifungal polycyclic ethers

A convergent synthesis of the nonacyclic BCDEFGHIJ-ring polyether core of gambieric acids, potent antifungal polycyclic ether marine natural products, has been achieved. The present synthesis involved as key features: (i) convergent union of the BCD- and GHIJ-ring fragments through esterification, (ii) construction of the E-ring as a lactone form via reductive acetylation, (iii) stereoselective allylation to establish the C26 stereocenter, and (iv) ring-closing metathesis reaction to form the nine-membered F-ring. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.