Efficient, divergent synthesis of cryptophycin unit A analoguesElectronic Supplementary Information (ESI) available: Spectroscopic data and experimental details for the preparation of all new compounds. See DOI: 10.1039/c2cc32417b

A flexible and divergent synthesis of cryptophycin unit A analogues is described. This method relies on iridium-catalysed stereo- and enantioselective crotylation and chemoselective one-pot oxidative olefination to access common intermediate 8 . Heck, cross metathesis, and Suzuki-Miyaura reactions are illustrated for the generation of methyl ester unit A analogues 10a-d . A flexible and divergent synthesis of cryptophycin unit A analogues using Ir-catalysed stereo- and enantioselective crotylation, and a chemoselective one-pot oxidative olefination is reported.