Cleviolide 1 has been synthesized in 73 % overall yield by a short reaction
sequence involving the preparation of 4-methyl-1-trimethylsilylpent-3-en-1
-yne 7 from trimethylsilylethynylzinc chloride 6 and 1-bromo-2-methylpropen
e 5, the direct conversion of 7 into the corresponding 1-tributylstannyl de
rivative 8 and the Pd-catalysed reaction of this organotin derivative with
4-bromofuran-2(5H)-one 10.