Total Synthesis of Cristatic Acid

The first total synthesis of cristatic acid 1, an antibiotic endowed with considerable activity against Gram-positive bacteria, hemolytic properties, and significant cytotoxicity, is described. Key to success are the formation of its 2,4-disubstituted furan moiety via a palladium-catalyzed alkylation of vinylepoxide 10 derived from sulfonium salt 8 and the use of SEM ethers as the protecting groups for the phenolic OH functions.