A high-yielding enantioselective total synthesis of the bioactive styryllactone (+)-goniodiol has been realised, starting from readily available (S)-glycidol. A key step is an oxygen-to-carbon rearrangement of a silyl enol ether linked via an anomeric centre, facilitating the rapid and diastereoselective construction of this functionalised system. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2006.
