Synthesis of aspergillide A via proline-catalyzed trans-to-cis isomerization of a substituted tetrahydropyran

The transformation of a common synthetic intermediate of aspergillides B and C into aspergillide A, a cytotoxin produced by a marine-derived fungus, has been accomplished in an eleven-step sequence involving an efficient proline-catalyzed isomerization of a 2,6-trans-substituted tetrahydropyran-2-acetaldehyde intermediate into the corresponding cis isomer and the Yamaguchi macrolactonization as the key steps.