First asymmetric total synthesis of aspergillide D.

The first asymmetric total synthesis of a 16-membered macrolide, aspergillide D, is described. The chiral centers of the acid are derived from d-ribose and the alcohol subunit from 1,8-octane diol through Sharpless kinetic resolution, respectively. The other key reactions include Yamaguchi esterification, ring-closing metathesis reaction, and Shiina macrolactonization to construct the fully functionalized macrocycle.