A new approach to the macrocyclic lactone zearalanone is described utilizing an alkenol and an arene trifluoromethanesulfonate as starting materials. The key step is a Pd(0)-catalyzed cross-coupling of the arene trifluoromethanesulfonate with a 9-alkyl-9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane derived from the alkenol. The title compound is obtained by macrolactonization of a hydroxy acid under Mitsunobu conditions