Synthetic Studies Toward (+)-Spongidepsin

A convergent enantiomerically controlled synthetic effort toward (+)‐spongidepsin is reported. The synthesis benefits from the use of readily available and inexpensive starting materials like D‐mannitol and (−)‐β‐citronellene. Key transformations include Evans asymmetric methylation, Mitsunobu esterification, (1H‐benzotriazol‐1‐yloxy)tripyrrolidinophosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyBOP)‐mediated amide formation for the preparation of a fully functionalized acyclic precursor, and ring‐closing metathesis (RCM).