Stereoselective synthesis of (+)-boronolide

The delta-lactone boronolide (+)-1, a pharmacologically active, naturally occurring product, has been synthesized in enantiopure form with L-erythrulose as the chiral starting material. The key steps of the synthesis were a highly stereoselective aldol-reduction one-pot sequence, an indium-mediated diastereoselective aldehyde allylation, and a ring-closing metathesis.