The total synthesis of (+)-(30S)-bullanin, a highly cytotoxic Annonaceous acetogenin, was effected by a convergent approach in which the key core bis-2,2'-tetrahydrofuran stereocenters were introduced through a combination of Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation and S(E)2' additions of oxygenated nonracemic allylic stannane and indium reagents to gamma-oxygenated aldehydes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.