Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2) is a shellfish toxin and has a non-anomeric spiroacetal, which is not stabilized by an anomeric effect. The selective construction of the non-anomeric spiroacetal has been a major problem in the synthesis of PTX2. Described herein is the stereoselective total synthesis of PTX2 via the isomerization of anomeric spiroacetal pectenotoxin-2b (PTX2b). The synthesis of PTX2b was achieved by a simple process including sulfone-mediated assembly of spirocyclic and bicyclic acetals and subsequent macrocyclization by ring-closing olefin metathesis. Finally, the selective construction of PTX2 was accomplished by the early termination of a dynamic transition process to equilibrium in the acid-catalyzed isomerization of anomeric PTX2b. [6,6]-Spiroacetal pectenotoxin-2c (PTX2c) was also synthesized from PTX2b. The cytotoxicity assay of the synthetic compounds against HepG2 and Caco2 cancer cells showed a potency of the order: PTX2≫PTX2b>PTX2c.

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Pectenotoxin‐2 (PTX2) is a shellfish toxin and has a non‐anomeric spiroacetal, which is not stabilized by an anomeric effect. The selective construction of the non‐anomeric spiroacetal has been a major problem in the synthesis of PTX2. Described herein is the stereoselective total synthesis of PTX2 via the isomerization of anomeric spiroacetal pectenotoxin‐2b (PTX2b). The synthesis of PTX2b was achieved by a simple process including sulfone‐mediated assembly of spirocyclic and bicyclic acetals and subsequent macrocyclization by ring‐closing olefin metathesis. Finally, the selective construction of PTX2 was accomplished by the early termination of a dynamic transition process to equilibrium in the acid‐catalyzed isomerization of anomeric PTX2b. [6,6]‐Spiroacetal pectenotoxin‐2c (PTX2c) was also synthesized from PTX2b. The cytotoxicity assay of the synthetic compounds against HepG2 and Caco2 cancer cells showed a potency of the order: PTX2≫PTX2b>PTX2c.