Synthetic efforts toward the C22-C36 subunit of halichondrin B utilizing local and imposed symmetry.

The C22-C34 portion (2) of halichondrin B was synthesized from meso-symmetric bis-silyl protected cyclopentenediol (7) in 20 steps and 7% overall yield. This was accomplished through a two-directional synthesis/terminus differentiation strategy that proceeded via achiral, meso-symmetric intermediates for eight steps and employed a Pd(0)-mediated asymmetric double cycloetherification to establish both tetrahydropyran rings. [Structure: see text]