The first total synthesis of the antiinflammatory marine sponge metabolite (+)-cacospongionolide B has been accomplished in 12 linear steps. The pivotal transformations include a three-step sequence coupling the two main regions of the natural product as well as generating the side chain dihydropyran ring. The activity of the synthetic analogues against bee venom phospholipase A
2 suggests that cacospongionolide B has an enantiospecific interaction with the enzyme that is independent of the
-hydroxybutenolide moiety.