Biomimetic synthesis of (±)-aculeatin D

A practical, efficient and diastereoselective synthesis of the cytotoxic and antiprotozoal compound aculeatin D (1) is described, employing a biomimetic oxidative cyclisation cascade reaction to generate the tricyclic system of the natural product. The synthesis proceeds in ten steps from commercially available 1-tetradecanol. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.