Studies directed toward the synthesis of the massileunicellins

An approach to the massileunicellins is described that employs a cycloaldol reaction to assemble the isobenzofuran bicyclic core. A stereoselective rearrangement–epoxidation–oxidation cascade and a chelation controlled addition to a hindered acyl furan are used to install the C3, C11, C12, and C13 oxygens. The synthesis establishes eight of the nine stereocenters present in the isobenzofuran core of the massileunicellins.