Efficient total synthesis of manzacidin B

The highly diastereoselective synthesis of the marine natural product, (−)-manzacidin B, is described. A novel copper-catalyzed aldol reaction of the α-methylserine-derived aldehyde with an isocyanoacetate possessing (1R)-camphorsultam as the chiral auxiliary proceeded in a highly diastereoselective manner to give the (4R,5R,6R)-adduct, which was converted into manzacidin B in a few steps.