A Total Synthesis of Aphidicolin: Stereospecific Synthesis of (±)-3α, 18-Dihydoxy-17-Noraphidicolan-16-one

A simple, efficient, and stereospecific total synthesis of (±)-3α, 18-dihydroxy-17-noraphidicolan-16-one (2) , by solvolytic rearrangement of the endo-bicyclo-2.2.2]oct-5-en-2-yl methanesulfonate 16 , is described. Since aphidicolin (1) has already been obtained from 2 , the preparation of the latter formally constitutes a new total synthesis of 1 .