The C16鈭扖28 fragment common to the cytotoxic macrolide ammocidin D has been prepared by a stereospecific 5-exo closure of a 纬,未-epoxyketone followed by a rearrangement to a pyran acetal. The reaction pathway was traced by 18O labeling of the keto carbonyl and observation of 18O induced 13C shifts in the pyran acetal product. NMR data of the synthetic C16鈭扖28 fragment compared favorably to the natural product providing support of the assigned stereochemistry.