Total synthesis of (-)-disorazole C1.

The antimitotic natural product disorazole C1 was isolated in 1994 from the fermentation broth of the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum. We have developed a highly convergent and stereoselective total synthesis of this compound which establishes its relative and absolute configuration. Key features of our synthesis include a highly convergent strategy and selective functional group manipulations that minimize decomposition of the sensitive polyene macrodiolide.