A Concise Total Synthesis of (−)-Maoecrystal Z

The first total synthesis of (−)-maoecrystal Z is described. The key steps of the synthesis include a diastereoselective Ti^III-mediated reductive epoxide coupling reaction and a diastereoselective Sm^II-mediated reductive cascade cyclization reaction. These transformations enabled the preparation of (−)-maoecrystal Z in only 12 steps from (−)-γ-cyclogeraniol.