Total synthesis of (−)-epothilone B

Abstract

The sixteen-membered ring macrolide (–)-epothilone B 1 has been synthesized by a route which features stereospecific methylation of an (E)-γ,δ-epoxy acrylate, the use of a double asymmetric reaction employing (R,R)-diisopropyltartrate and (E)-crotylboronate, and ring closure by means of an olefin metathesis reaction.