Key steps in a synthesis of the C17-C32 fragment of ionomycin are (a) an auxiliary-directed oxidative cyclisation of a diene with potassium permanganate to construct a tetrahydrofuran ring and four stereogenic centres in a single operation, and (b) a chainappendage reaction featuring the alkylation of an enolsilane by an oxocarbenium ion generated from a 2-phenylsulfonyl-substituted tetrahydrofuran.Ionomycin (1) is an ionophore isolated from Streptomyces conglobatus with a high affinity for divalent cations. 1-3 A detailed competitive binding study revealed the following selectivity: Pb 2+ > Cd 2+ > Zn 2+ > Mn 2+ > Ca 2+ > Cu 2+ > Co 2+ > Ni 2+ > Sr 2+ . 4 It is widely used as a tool in cell biology for the investigation of processes requiring calcium mobilisation and its use in lead detoxification has been mooted. In 2009 we reported a total synthesis of ionomycin and its calcium complex based on (a) a highly stereoselective Au 3+ -catalysed cycloisomerisation of an ahydroxyallene to create the tetrahydrofuran B, and (b) a rhodium-catalysed rearrangement of an a-diazo-b-hydroxyketone to generate the b-diketone moiety. 5 A key intermediate in our synthesis was the C17-C32 alcohol 2 (Scheme 1), which had also featured in the preceding syntheses developed by Evans 6 and Hanessian 7 reported in 1990. 8 We now report an alternative synthesis of the C17-C32 alcohol 2, and hence a formal synthesis of ionomycin, which features (a) a permanganate-mediated oxidative cyclisation reaction 9 to create the tetrahydrofuran ring A in fragment 4 and four of its stereogenic centres in a single operation, and (b) a Ley a-heteroalkylation reaction to append fragment 3 to C23 of fragment 4.The anti,anti-stereotriad in fragment 3 was installed by a crotylmetallation reaction on the known aldehyde 8 (Scheme 2). 10 Initial attempts to use Roush's easily accessible tartrate-derived (E)-crotylboronic ester reagent 9 were thwarted by poor diastereoselectivity (dr = 2:1). [11][12][13] Better results were obtained with (E)-crotyldiisopinocampheylborane (10) derived from (+)-a-pinene; in this case the desired adduct 11 was obtained in a modest 52% yield but excellent diastereoselectivity (dr >95:5). 14 The yield and diastereoselectivity of the crotylmetallation reaction were very sensitive to the quality of the reagent 10, with the best results being obtained with freshly prepared reagent. 15 After protection of the secondary alcohol as its pmethoxybenzyl ether, the alkene function of 12 was converted into the ketone 13 through a Wacker oxidation. 16 Finally, the ketone was converted into its enolsilane derivative in the usual way, to afford fragment 3 in 30% overall yield from commercial ester 5.