Progress toward the Synthesis of Pochonin J

The construction of the C(1) - C(5) fragment of the resorcylic acid lactone pochonin J is described. The synthesis is marked by the installation of the cis-1,3-diol moiety in a highly stereoselective manner using Evans’ intra-molecular base-catalyzed oxyconjugate addition of a hemiacetal-derived nucleophile. The synthetic route presented affords an efficient pathway to the preparation of this critical architectural feature that should facilitate the development of this secondary metabolite as a potential drug candidate.