Synthesis of tetrahedral diarylheptanoid ent-diospongin A and epimer-diospongin B by employing Julia-Kocienski olefination

Total synthesis of ent-diospongin A and epimer-diospongin B has been accomplished in good yield with high optical purity. The key steps of diospongin synthesis involve Julia-Kocienski olefination, Weinreb amide formation, Grignard reaction, reduction, acetonide deprotection, Lewis acid catalyzed cyclization, and Wacker oxidation.