Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol

Stereoselective total synthesis of (+)-varitriol, an antitumor natural product, was accomplished by two versatile strategies starting from the commercially available D-(-)-ribose and ethyl (S)-lactate. The key steps involved in the synthesis of the target molecule are epoxidation, cyclization, dihydroxylation and Diels-Alder reaction. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.