A flexible and unified strategy for syntheses of cladospolides A, B, C, and iso-cladospolide B.

A simple, efficient and flexible strategy for the syntheses of cladospolides A-C and iso-cladospolide B is reported here. This strategy involves Julia-Kocienski olefination and Yamaguchi macrolactonization as key steps, starting from either d-ribose or suitable tartaric acid esters. Although our initial efforts towards cladospolide A involving a ring closing metathetic approach were not successful, changing the mode of ring closure and the use of Julia-Kocienski olefination for the construction of the key intermediate solved this issue and paved the way for the completion of total syntheses of this class of natural products.