Abstract A synthesis of the antitumour agent pancratistatin is described from piperonal and D- xylose. Piperonal is converted into cinnamyl bromide 11 while methyl 5-iodoribofuranoside 12 is derived from xylose. The allylic bromide and the iodocarbohydrate are combined in a zinc-mediated tandem reaction to afford a highly functionalised 1, 7-diene, which is then converted into the corresponding cyclohexene by ring-closing olefin metathesis. ...
