An eleven-step reaction sequence starting from enantiomerically pure (-)-muricatacin (6) afforded the key intermediate 12, which was then converted to (15S, 16R, 19S, 20R, 34S)-diepomuricanin (1) via introduction of an acetylene unit and a coupling reaction with iodo lactone synthon 15. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd