A concise total synthesis of (-)-maoecrystal Z.

The first total synthesis of (-)-maoecrystal Z is described. The key steps of the synthesis include a diastereoselective Ti(III)-mediated reductive epoxide coupling reaction and a diastereoselective Sm(II)-mediated reductive cascade cyclization reaction. These transformations enabled the preparation of (-)-maoecrystal Z in only 12 steps from (-)-γ-cyclogeraniol.