Synthesis of aplyolide A, ichthyotoxic macrolide isolated from the skin ofthe marine mollusk Aplysia depilans

A convergent pathway is described for the synthesis of (S)-aplyolide A (1) using ethyl (S)-lactate as chiral source. Key steps, of the synthesis are t wo couplings between copper(T) alkynides and propargylic halides for the fo rmation of skipped diyne systems and were performed with an improved proced ure based on the use of cesium carbonate as base for alkynide preparation.