A chiron approach to the total synthesis of cytotoxic (+)-muricatacin and (+)-5-epi-muricatacin from d-ribose

A chiron approach strategy toward the total synthesis of (+)-muricatacin and (+)-5-epi-muricatacin starting from commercially available and inexpensive d-ribose through the key intermediate (S)-5-((R)-1-hydroxyallyl)furan-2(5H)-one has been disclosed.