A formal total synthesis of dictyostatin

A convergent formal synthesis of the antimitotic macrolide dictyostatin has been achieved. The C11–C26 fragment of dictyostatin was prepared via convergent assembly of the central deoxypropionate motif utilizing a site- and stereoselective titanium-mediated reductive cross-coupling and an asymmetric hydrogenation of the resulting stereodefined 1,3-diene.