The potent antiinflammatory agent precursor (+)-fuscol (2) has been synthesized using the chiral reagent 1 to effect the key step, the completely enantioselective Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of ester 3 to acid 4a. Conversion of 4a to the corresponding aldehyde 4c, cation-olefin cyclization to 5a, and deoxygenation produced (+)-beta-elemene (6). (+)-Fuscol (2) was synthesized from 6 via intermediates 7 and 8.