The first total synthesis of a saricandin analog corresponding to papulacandin D has been achieved via a highly convergent synthetic strategy. A readily accessible chiral building block 3 was designed and prepared in large scale via an enantioselective reduction with pinanyl-9-BBN. The adaptability of compound 3 toward structural modifications and the highly convergent nature of the approach is illustrated in the construction of the side chain present in saricandin by Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of 2 and 3 and sequences that include triple bond reduction of fragment C(5-16) and generation of the double bond (C4-C5) using Horner-Emmons reaction. The assembly of the spirocyclic monoglycoside with saricandin side chain is described. A practical technique for isolating the final product 1 after deprotection with TBAF is discussed. Compound 1 was evaluated for its antifungal activity in enzyme assay and cell based assays. However, in contrast the activity reported by Traxler for papulacandin D, the presence of the galactose moiety together with the short fatty acid in natural saricandin seem to be essential for the antifungal activity.In 1977, Traxler and coworkers reported the isolation and characterization of a family of antifungal antibiotics named papulacandins A, B, C and D from Papularia sphaerospema. 1 The compounds displayed potent in vitro activity against Candida albicans and various other yeasts and have been shown to inhibit b-1,3-glucan synthase, an enzyme involved in fungal cell wall biosynthesis. However, little or no efficacy has been found in animal models. The papulacandins A, B and C contain a spirocyclic diglycoside and two unsaturated fatty acids, linked as esters to two hydroxyl groups of the diglycosides. Papulacandin D, a monosaccharide relative is the simplest member of the family. The antifungal properties of papulacandin D juxtaposed with lack of access to natural material and the synthetically challenging structural feature make this compound interesting synthetic target. 2 The first total synthesis and full stereochemical assignment of papulacandin D was reported by Barrett and coworkers 3 in 1996. Although there is no evidence for a biosynthetic pathway it is possible that papulacandin D, lacking the galactose residue and the short fatty acid chain (Figure 1), is formed as intermediate in the biosynthesis of papulacandins A, B and C.Recently, a new potent antifungal antibiotic produced by the fungal culture, AB 2202W-161, named saricandin was isolated and characterized. 4 Guided by the hypothesis that saricandin may be formed following an analogous biosynthetic pathway to the papulacandins, we postulated that compound 1 (Figure) may be an intermediate in the process. 5 Herein we wish to describe the first total synthesis of compound 1. By analogy with the relationship between papulacandin D and A, compound 1 would address the question of how the biological profile of saricandin is affected by the absence of the galactose moiety together with the short fatty acid. Furthermore, the signifi...