A highly enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-furanomycin 24 has be
en achieved via the mercury cation-mediated cyclizations of gamma-hydr
oxy alkene 4 and homoallylic trichloroacetimidate 11 to install the tr
ans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydrofuran and the (alpha S)-amino acid sid
e chain, respectively.