A Total Synthesis of (±)- Aphidicolin: Regio- and stereoselective conversion of 3?,18-Di-O-benzyl-17-nor-14-aphidicolen-16-one into (±)-aphidicolin+

A regio- and steroselective conversion of the totally synthetic 3?, 18-di-O-benzyl-17-nor-14-aphidicolen-16-one (5), into (±)-aphidicolin 1, by hydroxylation of the 2-methylidenebicyclo[3.2.1] oct-3-ene derivative 6 is described. Compound 5 was a key intermediate in our previously described total synthesis of 2, which represented a formal synthesis of 1.