The resorcylicacidlactones (RAL) are endowed with diverse biological activity ranging from transcription factor modulators (zearalenone and zearalenol) to HSP90 inhibitors (radicicol and pochonin D) and reversible (aigialomycin D) as well as irreversible kinase inhibitors (hypothemycin and other RAL containing a cis‐enone). Our interest in broadening the diversity of this family beyond naturally
The aliphatic portion of (±)-zearalenone has been synthesised by a new simple route starting from 2,3-dihydropyran and 2-acetyl-γ-butyrolactone by employing dithiane for C-C bond formation. The final condensation of this segment with the aromatic part and subseqnet transformations led to (±)-zearalenone.