The first total synthesis of scabrolide F, a norcembranolide
isolated
from the soft coral Sinularia scabra, is described.
Hydroxycarboxylic acid, which is the key synthetic intermediate, was
synthesized in a convergent manner by fragment coupling. The obtained
hydroxycarboxylic acid was subjected to macrolactonization and subsequent
transannular ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to furnish scabrolide F.
The synthetic protocol can be extended to the total synthesis of other
norcembranolides.