coupling of the aromatic fragment 2 with the opticallyactive aliphatic fragment 3 to install the requisite carbon unit (2+3→4); (ii) intramolecular aldol reaction of the highly functionalized dialdehyde 10 to produce the desired eight-membered ring system 11 (10→11); (iii) epimerization of the C-7 position of hydroxy ketone 14 to obtain the correct stereochemistry (14→15); (iv) internal hemiacetal formation