We have achieved the total synthesis of (-)-mniopetal E, a drimane sesquiterpenoid which inhibits the reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1. Our enantiospecific total synthesis of this target molecule in naturally occurring form commenced with a known 2,3-anhydro-D-arabinitol derivative, which was prepared using the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation strategy. The key steps of