Total Synthesis of Tiacumicin A. Total Synthesis, Relay Synthesis, and Degradation Studies of Fidaxomicin (Tiacumicin B, Lipiarmycin A3)

The commercial macrolide antibiotic fidaxomicin was synthesized in a highly convergent manner. Salient features of this synthesis include a β-selective noviosylation, a β-selective rhamnosylation, a ring-closing metathesis, a Suzuki coupling, and a vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction. Careful choice of protecting groups and fine-tuning of the glycosylation reactions led to the first total synthesis of fidaxomicin. In addition, a relay synthesis of fidaxomicin was established, which gives access to a conveniently protected intermediate from the natural material for derivatization. The first total synthesis of a related congener, tiacumicin A, is presented