A chemoenzymatic total synthesis of the phytotoxic undecenolide (-)-cladospolide A

An eleven-step synthesis of the title compound (1) from biocatalytically-derived and enantiomerically pure 'building blocks' alcohol (R)-(-)-9 and ester 13 is described. Attempts to construct the twelve-membered lactone ring of cladospolide A in a direct manner by using a ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reaction failed. However, a ten-membered lactone, 19, could be constructed by such means and this was then subject to a two-carbon homologation sequence involving, inter alia, Wadsworth-Horner-Emmons and Yamaguchi lactonisation reactions in the closing stages of the synthesis. The impact of substituent stereochemistries and protecting groups on the RCM reaction leading to various ten-membered lactones is also described.