Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-hyptolide

The first total synthesis of the naturally occurring lactone (+)-hyptolide is described. Ethyl l-lactate was the chiral starting material. Key steps of this 15-step synthesis were a Brown''s asymmetric allylation, a Carreira''s asymmetric ethynylation and a ring closing metathesis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]