A total synthesis of tiacumicinâ
B, a natural macrolide whose remarkable antibiotic properties are used to treat severe intestinal infections, is reported. The strategy is in part based on the prior synthesis of the tiacumicinâ
B aglycone, and on the decisive use of sulfoxides as anomeric leaving groups in hydrogenâbondâmediated aglycone delivery (HAD). This new HAD variant permitted highly ÎČâselective rhamnosylation and noviosylation. To increase convergence, the rhamnosylated C1âC3 fragment thus obtained was anchored to the C4âC19 aglycone fragment by adapting the SuzukiâMiyaura crossâcoupling used for the aglycone synthesis. Ringâsizeâselective macrolactonization provided a compound engaged directly in the noviolysation step with virtually total ÎČâ
selectivity. The final efficient removal of all the protecting groups provided synthetic tiacumicinâ
B.