Synthesis of the macrolide core of migrastatin

A concise and efficient synthesis of the macrolactone core of migrastatin, a new natural product with potent anticancer properties, has been achieved. The key features of our synthetic strategy encompass a Lewis acid catalyzed diene aldehyde condensation (LACDAC) to install the three contiguous stereocenters and the trisubstituted (Z)-double bond of migrastatin, and a (E)-selective ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to construct the macrocycle.